


The Key to Infinity

by Topazowlet



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Clava Thessara Infinitas, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-19
Updated: 2015-05-19
Packaged: 2018-03-31 08:03:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 42,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3970258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Topazowlet/pseuds/Topazowlet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>SG1 with Jack help Daniel to battle with a latent prior virus that Adria left within him and has been triggered by visits to planets on the SGC's cold calling program</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally written with the premise of taking it on later to become D/V but then I got into J/D slash so this is a rewrite of the original which was published by Ashton Press some years ago. There is still a lot of interaction between Daniel and Vala as is canon but Daniel is most definitely with Jack although there are no physical interactions between them in this text. It is complete but I may write a follow up - the ideas are in my head and a few pages are written.  
> Thanks to my betas ArcticT and Solstice Winter for all their hard work.

With thanks for the image from RDA's website  


Chapter 1

“Well, that was a waste of time” said Daniel, after he stepped home through the Stargate. “Not an artefact in sight and nothing to transcribe or interpret. That’s the fifth planet this week that has been an utter misuse of my time!”  
Vala cocked her head.  
“Daniel?” she asked.  
“Vala?” he replied in that inimitable way that she so often found very frustrating.  
“Nothing.” The look that he had given her was enough to quieten the loudest voice.

General Landry was there to greet them.  
“Anything of interest?” he enquired.  
Sam opened her mouth to answer when Daniel stated crossly “No!”  
“I wouldn’t be quite as blunt as that” said Sam. “We are now able to cross that planet off our list of possible connections”  
“And of what use is that may I ask?”  
“Well, at least you won’t have to go back there again” replied Cam flippantly.  
“I wasn’t speaking to you” said Daniel rudely and turned his back on Colonel Mitchell.  
“Daniel Jackson,” said Teal’c “You are not you usual self – are you feeling unwell?”  
“Just fed up of wasting my time” he replied and walked off the ramp, heading, presumably, to the locker room. The remaining personnel stood open mouthed.  
“What’s gotten into him?” asked Cam. “Vala?”  
“I don’t know but he’s been grouchy all week”  
“OK people”, said Landry, “Debrief at 1300 – Make sure Dr Jackson knows!”  
They all looked at Vala.  
“You guys are more likely to see him” she said to Cam and Teal’c.  
“Yeah, but you have a way with him” smiled Cam as he walked to the bottom of the ramp.

They all dispersed to shower and change during the following hour. Vala, of course, cleaned up first before searching out Daniel. She has recently bought some new perfume and was eager to “try it out” on Daniel even though she was pretty sure in the back of her mind that he wouldn’t notice; Daniel was so observant in so many ways but perfume, clothes and fripperies, well, they just passed him by.

She found him sat at his desk, unwashed, pouring over an ancient book – well, there was nothing unusual about the latter but he usually cleaned up after a mission.  
“Daniel?” she whispered tentatively from the door – he rarely closed his office door when he was in.  
“What?” he barked without looking up.  
“Just wanted to tell you that debriefing is at one o’clock – you’ve only got 20 minutes.”  
“Thanks” he grunted absently, still not looking up. Vala hesitated, not sure what to do next; he was behaving rather strangely. She opened her mouth to ask him if he was feeling alright, thought better of it as he still hadn’t looked up and slunk away, puzzled. Then, halfway along the corridor, she turned round, ran back and peered round the door jamb to Daniel’s office, searched in vain for a coffee mug (“Goody” she thought) and dashed off to the mess, returning a few minutes later with a mug of steaming coffee.

“Thought you might like this” she said quietly as she put it on his desk beside the blotter. No response. “See you at the debrief”. A grunt. She backed out of the room, confused and upset and went in search of Sam.

Sam, returned from her tour of duty on the Hammond at her own request, was drying her hair as Vala knocked on the door and stuck her head into the room. “Come in Vala” she said “I’m done now”. Vala slunk into the room and sat in the closer of the 2 easy chairs Sam had brought in to try to make her quarters at the Cheyenne Mountain base a little more homely. She said nothing.

“Daniel?” said Sam, knowing Vala well by now.  
“He’s so distant!” she said with a catch in her voice. “It’s been getting worse all week and today he has been so, well, out of it. No comments, no response to my jokes or my flirtations, he just looks at me with those oh so blue eyes and then turns away as though I was dirt on his shoe. And he is obviously beginning to act up to us all now – I think we need to find out what’s wrong before he really screws up and says something we all end up regretting – it just isn’t like Daniel. How many times have you heard him swear Sam, like he did yesterday when we arrived on PRD or whatever it was? How often does he just sit by the gate and refuse to go any further?”  
“Well, never” admitted Sam. “Did you ask him what was wrong?”  
“He hardly acknowledged me when I went to tell him about briefing and he hadn’t cleaned up.” Sam frowned.  
“That’s not like Daniel” she stated flatly. Glancing at the clock she stood up.  
“Let’s see what happens in debrief”.

The two girls left Sam’s room and headed towards the General’s office. They were both surprised to walk in and find General Landry talking to General O’Neill. Teal’c and Cam were close behind and nearly knocked Vala over as she stopped in surprise.  
“Come on in and sit” said General Landry “and welcome General O’Neill back. He’s retaking command for the next few weeks whilst I go to Europe. Colonel Mitchell, a word please”

Whilst the others gathered around to say their hellos to General O’Neill, General Landry took Cam aside.  
“I have a proposition for you” he said quietly “but it is classified. However, it involves flying the newest, fastest craft that the Americans have ever developed. If interested, let me know first thing in the morning and I will brief you, but, if you decide to do it, there is no turning back and I can’t tell you any more until you say yes”  
“I’ll say yes now, General” said Cam. “I think we all need a break and this could be a great opportunity”  
“Um..Yes. Dr Jackson sure could do with a break, judging by his behaviour earlier. Where is he, by the way? Vala, did you go tell Dr Jackson the debrief time?”  
“Sure thing but I’ll go and get him – he had his head in a book as usual and will have forgotten the time”

She left the room and headed back down the corridor wondering why Daniel was late. His time keeping was so much better than it had been, apparently, those 10 plus years ago when he first joined Stargate command. Vala often wondered what he was like then; naïve and enthusiastic, Sam had told her, full of wonder and so caring, the geeky, moral voice of SG-1 Jack so often said. He was much more worldly wise now, bigger (literally with all the working out he did these days), stronger and more cynical but no less the champion of right and, boy, was he sexy! With or without those glasses, Vala often metaphorically “fell” into those bright blue eyes and was continually mystified by the fact that he was often oblivious to her charms. Not always though; he was constantly there if things went wrong, to whisper kind words, to hold her and make her feel better – he was her very best friend but, oh, if only….

“Stop it,” she said to herself as she approached the door to Daniel’s office. She peered inside.  
“Daniel?”  
“Go away Vala, can’t you ever see that I am busy?”  
“But you are wanted for the debriefing”. He did actually turn and look at her this time, though glaring.  
“And your point is?” Frustration overtook Vala.  
“Daniel, what is your problem? Why are you….”. Before she could finish he had turned away, back to his books.  
“Go away Vala. I’ll be there in 10.” She sighed, shrugged her shoulders and turned away so he wouldn’t see the tears threatening to appear. Why was he being so nasty?

She walked slowly back to the debriefing, giving herself time to “get a grip”.  
“I hate him,” she tried to tell herself under her breath. However, repeating it as a mantra was not the success she hoped it would be. She also realised that she had not told Daniel that general O’Neill was here – serve him right – she thought.

All eyes turned to her with surprise as she walked in, alone.  
“He said he’d be 10 minutes but don’t be surprised if he doesn’t get here”  
General Landry obviously considered this statement then turned to everyone as Vala sat down.  
“I gather there is very little to report about the mission you have just completed”. He looked at Cam.  
“Well, apart from Jackson’s rather strange behaviour, we found nothing. The planet appeared uninhabitable, a bit like Mars. We did a little recon but didn’t even find any plant life”.  
“There was nothing there, sir,” Sam added. “I think it upset Daniel because we have found nothing on any of the last few planets we visited, nothing at all and I think he is tired and run down. Janet would have sorted him out” this last said under her breath. She still missed Janet terribly and was finding caring for Cassandra alone difficult, even though she was now at college.

“Well, now would be a good opportunity for you all to take a break. I am going to Europe for a few months, been posted to the American Air Force Base in Britain, that’s all I can tell you as it’s classified so General O'Neill will have to “look after the place” for me!”

“Colonel Mitchell has also been offered a top secret mission so, Teal’c, perhaps you’d like to return to Chulak for a few days if you wish to go home and I am sure you two girls can go shopping or something!!” Sam looked horrified at the statement, not because she disliked shopping but of the connotations it held, until she saw the grin on the general’s face. Vala thought “Great. Where have I put Daniel’s credit card?”

“Actually sir, Cassandra will be home this weekend and then I have the hand held neuron particle accelerator to refine. It is still not connecting to the mainframe of the weapons base as it should and it needs a further addition of naquadah to enhance the accretion of the neutrinos.” General O’Neill grinned, recognising that Sam still found pleasure in using her free time to continue her ground breaking work in theoretical astrophysics.

There was a pause in the room. It was as though both Generals were expecting Daniel to come bounding up the stairs, but it didn’t happen. Landry authorised the next ten days leave then dismissed them, turning to Colonel Mitchell to discuss his "secret" mission and O’Neill went in search of Daniel to give the archaeologist a piece of his mind.

Sam, Teal’c and Vala headed for the canteen for lunch and the topic of conversation was, of course, Daniel.  
“Are you going to fetch him for lunch, Vala?” Sam said.  
“It might be better if someone else goes” she stated bluntly. “I don’t seem to be his favourite person any more”. It came out with more of a catch than she had intended. Teal’c raised an eyebrow.  
“I will fetch Daniel Jackson” he said, turned round and headed in the direction of Daniel’s office. Only a minute later, he joined them in the queue, alone.  
“He was not hungry” was all Teal’c would say.

All four sat down and started eating and were quickly joined by Mitchell. No one really knew what to say. They all wanted to talk about Daniel but knew that it wasn’t very professional. Eventually, after exchanging stilted pleasantries, which was not their usual mode of conversation, Cam started.  
“Look, if I am going off for a few months, I need to know that my team are OK even if the General is here!” Sam smiled at the words “my team”. Everyone knew that although Cam had been nominally in charge of SG-1, there would never be a leader other than Jack O’Neill but the cohesiveness of the group was important. “What are we going to do about Daniel?”  
“Well, I’ve had it with him” They all turned and stared at Vala.  
“Yeah, right” said Cam, “until the next time he’s nice to you!” Vala turned haughtily away, pretending to study the mural on the opposite wall. Teal’c raised an eyebrow; Sam frowned.

“We could draw straws. We told Jack we did that when he went “bad” on the covert op to uncover the rogue NID faction. Mind you, we told him it was Daniel who lost. Boy, was he mad when he came back; Jack had given him a really hard time about their friendship and Daniel was really upset.” Sam smiled as she remembered a young Daniel, idolising yet constantly contradicting the older, military man; returning, heartbroken, thinking that he had so badly misjudged Jack. It had taken him quite a while to regain his confidence after that incident and she didn’t want that sort of thing happening again so volunteered to go see Daniel. She noted the relief on Cam’s face. “No time like the present. Vala, I’ll come to your quarters afterwards or if I need backup”. She rose, took her tray and headed out of the mess, fully expecting to find the two men at loggerheads in Daniel’s office.

As she wandered along the corridors, not in any great haste as she was not looking forward to the possible confrontation, Sam wondered if the Daniel/Vala thing was actually getting to him. Daniel had been so in love with Sha’re, had stayed behind on Abydos after that initial mission through the Stargate and married her, even thought she had been a “gift” and Sam often wondered if he had ever got over losing her to Amonet, a Goa’uld system lord. Sha’re, as Amonet, had nearly killed him and Teal’c had had to kill her to save Daniel’s life. Sam knew that Daniel used to go to “dark places” around anniversaries but she had not seen any symptoms of this recently. Was it all catching up with him again? Sam cared for Daniel like a brother and couldn’t bear to see him in so much pain again.

The door was closed. She knocked. No answer. She tried again, then tried the handle. Locked. Was that relief or concern she felt? Deciding it was concern or at least should be, she headed to Daniel’s on-base quarters but there was no reply there. Back tracking, she went to her own quarters and tried the internal phone for his office and quarters, then rang Daniel’s home and cell. Nothing, and no answer service. Then she went up to the General’s office, asking Master Sergeant Harriman and Sergeant Siler if they had seen Daniel.

Peering in through the office window, she could see no sign of Daniel but General O’Neill waved her in.  
“Carter, come in. I have spoken to Daniel and, after giving him grief for missing a briefing, I agreed that he was tired and he has taken some much deserved leave. He admits that he has been under a lot of stress and is taking a break. Now, go and enjoy yourself for 2 weeks.” Sam smiled as she knew that was what was expected of her; she went back to her quarters, called Vala and within 20 minutes they were on the surface. Vala was mildly upset to find that Daniel’s car had gone so she had to go on the back of Sam’s bike which meant she had to mess up her hair with a helmet but that was going to be the only way to get to Daniel’s.

30 minutes later they arrived at Daniel’s but there was no sign of his car or him. Of course, Vala knew where the key was hidden and had no qualms about using it although Sam was a little concerned at what could be misconstrued as breaking and entering. However, she trailed behind Vala who was now calling Daniel’s name. But there was no reply. Vala scanned the house but all she could report was that there was no laptop and she couldn’t find Daniel’s cameras anywhere;  
“And he always puts them in the same place”, she almost wailed.

It was no good. They just had to come to the conclusion that Daniel had absented himself to places unknown.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 (a crossover with Bones)

A week later, Vala was sat in Daniel’s office when the phone rang. She’d had a very brief text from him the night he’d disappeared as had Jack.

Am OK. CU

Ever since then, she’d spent the days continuing logging artefacts for Daniel (of course she knew how to get into his office) or with Sam. They’d taken Cassandra to the movies and to eat over the weekend.

The phone was insistent. She picked it up; usually they rang off after about 10 rings.  
“Hello, Dr Jackson’s office” (I’m his secretary now, she thought). The voice on the end was firm and female. Warning Bells went off in Vala’s head.  
“I would like to speak to Dr Jackson please. Tell him it is Dr Temperance Brennan calling”  
“Sorry” quipped Vala, not liking the brusque tone, “not here”  
“That’s very unfortunate. Can you give me his cell number?”  
“He’s ..” she was about to say “not answering it” but decided that was way too much information and continued “instructed me not to give it to anyone. He does not wish to be disturbed at present.”  
There was a heavy silence at the other end; it sounded as though another conversation was ensuing. Vala caught the name Booth and a male voice answered.   
“Let me try, Bones,” and suddenly this sexy, masculine voice said “Who am I talking to?”

Well, Vala was taken aback and stuttered “Vala MalDoran” down the phone before she could stop to think of the consequences.  
“Well, Ms MalDoran…”  
“Call me Vala.”  
“OK Vala, this is Special Agent Seeley Booth, presently in the facilities of Dr Brennan at the Jeffersonian Institute and we really need to talk to Dr Jackson.”   
“How do I know who you are?” returned Vala.  
“Got a webcam? Try this.” and he reeled off an email address. “Speak to you in 5,” and he was gone.

Vala was at a loss. She buzzed Sam but there was no answer from her lab. So she turned on Daniel’s desktop and waited for it to boot up before logging on (with Daniel’s logon of course) and doing the business with Skype. A handsome face appeared beside a very serious looking woman with shoulder length hair.

“Er … Hello” she stuttered “Who are you?”  
“I’m Dr Brennan,” said the woman “and this is Special Agent Booth of the FBI’s Homicide Investigations Unit.” Booth held up his credentials. “Are you Ms MalDoran?” After Vala replied in the affirmative, Dr Brennan repeated her request to talk to Daniel.

“What do you want with my .. um … Dr Jackson?”  
“I have a matter about which I need to speak with him.” replied Dr Brennan. A woman with long wavy dark hair came into view.  
“Have you got him, sweetie?” said Angela to Tempe.  
“He’s not there. When will he be available?” turning back to face the webcam.  
“Not really sure if it’s any of your business” replied Vala, feeling distinctly at a disadvantage; three on to one wasn’t fair although only the woman, the one they called “Temperance” (what kind of a name was that?) was seemingly hostile. Special Agent Booth took over again.

“We need to speak with Dr Jackson fairly urgently – are you his research assistant?” Vala shuddered; the very thought!  
“No, but I am a member of the team that Daniel often works with,” she replied, somewhat frostily. “You could try asking me.”  
The three of them stepped back and appeared to be conferring out of range of the microphone. The dark haired woman seemed to agree with the agent and they must have convinced Dr Brennan because she suddenly, in the sharp, matter-of-fact, no messing style (reminded her of Daniel), spoke again.

“At the Jeffersonian, I am responsible for interpreting clues left behind in the victim’s bones when the body has decomposed too much for other identification to be possible. Special Agent Seeley Booth and I were called to what appears to be an ancient burial ground outside Washington and, along with bones, we unearthed some tablets covered with some kind of Hieroglyphics that no-one here can understand. Someone recommended Dr Jackson.”

“Well, he certainly is the world’s expert on ancient writings,” said Vala without thinking and then remembered that their work was classified.  
“I don’t know about that,” replied Dr Brennan in a haughty tone, “but a friend of a friend of Angela here,” she gestured at the woman with dark hair, “recommended him; name’s Sarah Gardner.”  
“Tell you what,” said Vala, “Give me 30 minutes to go talk to the boss – I’ll get back to you” and she signed out.

Vala sat back, unusually flustered. But she knew why immediately. This could be a way to Daniel! She ran along the corridor to what was, again, General O’Neill's office and barged in, Vala style.  
“Do you actually know where Daniel is?” she asked, breathlessly. General O’Neill had been dreading this question and was surprised it had been a week before it was asked. After all, he’d spoken to Daniel at least once every day since the latter’s departure and thought Vala would have wanted to do the same. They were kind of rivals for Daniel’s affections! He sat, motionless.  
“Well?” Vala plonked herself down on the chair opposite. “Come on General, you can tell me.”  
“Why do you need to know?” he said evasively.  
“Do you know?” The General sighed. He hadn’t actually promised Daniel he wouldn’t say where he was though he was pretty sure Daniel would be mad at him for telling.

“Did he tell you not to tell me? I know he gets a bit annoyed with me sometimes and wants to be on his own but come on General, he’s had a week and anyway, I think I might have some people who want him to translate something.” General O’Neill sat up.  
“You were very careful about what you told them.” It wasn’t a question, it was a statement.   
“I told them I was going to see the boss and would call them back.”

O’Neill called Harriman in who immediately retrieved the email address from Daniel’s computer (how did he do that? thought Vala) and the Jeffersonian trio were there, waiting. It didn’t take much to convince the General that Daniel’s help was needed but he still hadn’t let on as to where he was. It was the turn of the Stargate Command to have a private chat.

“Let me go and fetch the tablets and take them to Daniel.” It was a real plea from the heart. The general took pity on her; he also knew it was about time someone who knew him well checked on Dr Jackson as he was concerned about the atypical behaviour and very frustrated that he couldn’t go himself. Arrangements were made for Vala to fly to Washington immediately and Booth offered to meet her at the Bolling Air Force Base nearby.

Vala was in the air before she realised she didn’t actually know where Daniel was yet! She’d get the tablets first, then call General O’Neill – the tablets would be good leverage if necessary. She could always threaten to take them off-world and sell them! Flipping aimlessly through magazines, she was impatient to arrive. She called Sam on her cell and left a message. She tried Sam’s lab and left a message. She suddenly felt alone. No Sam, Teal’c in Chulak and Cam, well he could be anywhere and as for Daniel….

Booth was waiting as she stepped down from the plane. He cut a suave figure, appealed to Vala’s mindset.   
“Not my Daniel” she reminded herself. Pleasantries exchanged, he escorted her to a car and quickly drove to the Jeffersonian. Vala had never been to Washington DC on her own. In fact, Vala had not been to many large cities on Earth and was quiet for most of the journey. Booth led her into the forensic labs where Dr Brennan was waiting. Coffee was produced and Vala listened to the pair describe the find.

“The tablets have been placed in a cold storage case to preserve their integrity,” stated Dr Brennan. “You will need to have this taken back to your plane and return to Colorado Springs for Dr Jackson to see immediately.” Vala didn’t argue; she’d sort out the travelling bit later. Booth looked askance.   
“The poor woman’s only just got here, Bones and it’s now gone seven. Let’s all go eat and we’ll find her a bed for the night – she can go in the morning.” Obviously, Dr Brennan wasn’t too happy about this but Angela, who had just joined them, thought it was a great idea and went off to fetch the rest of their team.

They passed a very pleasant evening in the Jeffersonian’s team’s favourite restaurant and Angela took Vala home with her. They spent two hours talking and Vala felt that she had found another friend on Earth. She heard all about Angela and Hodgins, learned about poor Zac, the research assistant who, through an ideology sounding as strong as some of Daniel’s ideals, had become an apprentice to the Gormogon serial killer; he was now in prison but still helped the team out occasionally. She heard of the nature of their work and Vala was sorry she had to lie about hers.

With that reflection, Vala suddenly remembered that she still didn’t know where Daniel was and she had transport arrangements to make. Without thinking of the time, she excused herself and rang General O’Neill. He answered on the second ring.

“Vala, so glad you rang” he said, not too sarcastically. “What can I do for you?” Arrangements had already been made; her plane left at 0900 hours to fly to Egypt.

“I should have known that was where he was” said Vala.

The long journey to Egypt on an Air Force plane, alone, was not Vala’s idea of fun. She slept fitfully, paced the plane; sat and stared at the Atlantic below, paced again. Flipped through a magazine, dozed. A thoroughly bad tempered Vala emerged at Cairo-West Air Base, wondering how she was going to move that cooler of tablets to a hotel. But General O’Neill had thought of everything. A young lieutenant saluted her, addressed her as Ma’am and led her to a waiting car, also overseeing the transfer of the tablets to the trunk.

The car drew up at the Hotel and a young man dressed in flowing robes rushed up with a trolley, desperate to carry her luggage. She made sure the cooler was moved to said trolley, checked in and followed her guide to the elevator.  
“You are military, no?” he said.  
Vala decided the easiest answer was yes.  
“You take over watching Dr Jackson from Sergeant James?” Vala heaved a sigh of relief – at least General O’Neill had had someone watching over Daniel.  
“Yes, that’s right.” she replied.  
The lift stopped and they headed a little way down the corridor. Her guide unlocked the room and deposited the cooler on the floor, next to Vala’s luggage. He gestured at an adjoining door.  
“To Dr Jackson’s room” he said and Vala immediately thought how handy that was. She tipped her guide and he left.

She suddenly felt bereft. Here was the woman who had travelled hundreds of miles across the galaxy, mainly on her own, feeling lost and alone in a city on Earth. Pull yourself together, she thought and tried the adjoining door. Locked – just my luck! It was very late afternoon and she couldn’t imagine Daniel being back till it got dark. She ordered a drink and snack from room service, settled down comfortably when refreshment arrived and fished out her cell. She had two messages from Sam and, after retrieving them, rang and spent the next 20 minutes explaining what was happening. She was relieved to hear that Teal’c was back from Chulak in case she needed reinforcements but those hopes were dashed when Sam told her that she was going, with Teal’c and SG-2, on a few more cold dialling missions. She promised she’d call each time she returned from off world and they hung up.

Waiting for Daniel was excruciating. She knew she couldn’t sleep; wasn’t tired and, anyway, wanted to hear him come in. She rang reception twice to see if he had returned. She went down there and sat in the lobby for a while. She sat in the bar and talked to an elderly man, who was on a tour company holiday, before he went into dinner with his friends. At long last, she saw a filthy jeep draw up and an equally filthy Daniel jump out and enter the lobby. All of a sudden, she didn’t know what to do; normally Vala would surprise him, run up to him, fling her arms round his neck and shout “My Daniel” but it just didn’t seem right this time. However, that was pre-empted by the desk clerk pointing her out as he asked for messages.

Some looks from Daniel were so … cold. Vala literally shivered as he walked slowly towards her. They met in the middle of the lobby.  
“Vala?”  
“Of course it is, Daniel.” She was relieved to see a trace of a smile on his lips. She gave him a tentative hug and, eventually, felt his arms go round her. Then he held her at arm’s length.  
“Explain.”   
“General O’Neill sent me.” Well, not quite the truth, but close. “I’ve brought some tablets for you to look at” and a very potted version of the whole story tumbled out, Vala speaking almost as fast as Daniel does.  
“This is not just an excuse?” She hadn’t mentioned Dr Brennan and co but did so, hoping for authenticity; that only really clicked in when she mentioned Sarah Gardner, something she really hadn’t wanted to do. His eyes softened slightly and he let go of her shoulders.  
“What are we waiting for?” He headed for the elevator, Vala almost running behind him, drink forgotten.

She followed him into his room, went straight to the interconnecting door, unlocked it and went through.  
“You’re taking over from Sergeant James I presume?” Daniel shouted after her. Vala returned, dragging the cooler behind her. The Daniel she knew would have rushed to help her; he stood haughtily, watching her. She stopped and he came over to the cooler. As he open the box, that look of naïve wonderment struggled and won against the hauteur and he reverently removed the top tablet, sat back on his heels and ran his right hand over the hieroglyphics.

“It’s Ancient,” he whispered. “Where did you say they found these?” Vala told him again as much as she knew.   
“I must talk to them. Vala, my laptop.” Although she prickled at the way he spoke to her, she complied, setting up the Skype system and calling Dr Brennan. Although getting late in Egypt, America was still at work.

There followed one of those conversations that seems to pass by in a blur. There were no introductions; straight down to business, each trying to out-talk the other. Vala gave up trying to comprehend the two geniuses. Daniel was making copious notes in that inimitable shorthand which she was learning, albeit slowly. She unwrapped another tablet.  
“Don’t do that!” It cut across her like a whip and she nearly dropped it. She sighed and put it down. Daniel was already re-enmeshed in the conversation. She sat still.

Daniel finished with a cursory “Goodbye” and disconnected the software.  
“I need to translate,” he said.  
“Daniel, you need to eat, clean-up …”  
“No time,” he was back in front of the cooler, unpacking the tablets.  
“I can do that,” said Vala, “I’ve done it for you before, you know.” He stopped and something must have clicked and he did accede that point; besides, it meant he could get down to translating quicker. He took the first tablet and left Vala to spread the others over the floor. 

There were 10 tablets in all and by the time she had finished, Daniel was completely lost in his translations. She gently peered over his shoulder but felt him flinch so backed away, picked up the phone and ordered room service – at least she could make sure he ate and drank! Room service arrived and she set a wrap beside Daniel. She noticed he would pick it up occasionally and take a bite; and as for the coffee, well that was drunk apace and he did turn round and ask for a refill. A little later, she slid two chocolate cookies onto the plate at his left elbow and earned a grunt of thanks.

He continued well into the night. Vala fell asleep eventually, clutching Daniel’s boonie hat and covered by his filthy jacket. About 4am, Daniel had finished and was totally exhausted. He took one look at Vala, a small part of him looking longingly at the other side of the bed but he decided that he couldn’t cope with the possible message it might inadvertently send her and walked through the connecting door to fall asleep as he hit the mattress.

As tired as he was, Daniel woke again around 7 and crept back to his room. He looked at Vala, still fast asleep in his bed, that mass of raven black hair framing such an intriguing face. He stood for a few seconds and wondered … no, getting back to work was the important thing and anyway, she was far too much an emotional and unstable wreck; they were completely opposite and wrong for each other (“When have I thought that before?”) and then there was Jack …..

She stirred and he sat back at the desk, staring with acumen at his notes.   
“Good morning, Daniel – you haven’t been there all night, have you?” Vala swung her legs off the bed and sat up. He swung round to face her and smiled. Vala’s heart jumped – it seemed such a long time since he had smiled at her.  
“Not quite” he replied, “although these are amazing!” He swept his hand over the tablets on the table and the floor nearby. “There are Stargate addresses here.” This was the Daniel she knew, full of enthusiasm and amazement, keen to explain and share what he had learned, “with 8 chevrons.”  
“That means they are in another galaxy,” Vala exclaimed, catching his enthusiasm as she often did. Daniel started explaining, faster and faster until she had to stop him; he wasn’t making any sense to her.

“Daniel!” He stopped, mid-sentence, looking at her quizzically. “OK, they are very important but let’s be practical – you need a shower, I need a shower. Doubtful we can have one together so let’s get sorted and get back to the SCG.” Although the reluctance showed on his face, he knew part of what she said made sense; these were far more important that the dig.   
“Face it Daniel,” he said to himself, “you are never going to find enough evidence to prove your theories without revealing classified information so you might as well get back and try these new addresses – maybe there will be something on the other end of these wormholes.”

Vala had slipped in to her room so he hit the shower. She, meanwhile, ordered up some breakfast, woke O’Neill through her cell and tried to organise transport home. When told they had to wait 24 hours or try to find civilian flights, she called through to Daniel and when there was no reply, wandered through the connecting door. She could hear the shower running and inched her head round the door.  
“Daniel?”  
“What?” he snapped, “Go away!”  
“We can only go home today if we find civilian flights.”  
“Couldn’t if have waited just a few minutes?”  
“I have General O’Neill on the phone and I woke him up,” she added rather sheepishly.  
“OK, what’s plan B?”  
“We wait till tomorrow.” He considered, but quickly, as part of him was worried that she would suddenly appear around the shower curtain.  
“OK plan B. Go away!”

She slunk away, not understanding this Daniel who changed like the wind. She was sharing so much of her life with him and had done for the last year but this Daniel was unfathomable. She walked slowly back to her room after closing the conversation on her cell, thinking back to when she first met Daniel.

She had stolen a ship, a Goa’uld Al'kesh and the opportunity to get an even bigger, better ship had presented itself. She had used stolen Kull armour and arrived on the Prometheus, the USA’s first real space ship and managed to ring all of the personnel on board on to the Goa’uld ship, or so she thought; whilst intent on an instrument panel, he had crept up on her and fired at her, at her back! Twice! Not very chivalrous even if the bullets couldn’t pierce the armour, so she’d had to zat him and tie him down in the commander’s chair. 

She remembered, even faced with a super-soldier that Daniel had tried to make overtures of peaceful first contact as he commented that Kull’s usually don't take prisoners. She remembered how very attractive he had seemed, even way back then when they were fighting for control of the Prometheus. She smirked when she remembered finally getting him flat on his back, grabbing the neck of his T-shirt and pulling him up for a kiss; and she knew he’d responded even if he did push her off and call her a fruitcake. She was sure she’d kissed him, passionately, and he’d kissed her back, more than once but she could never remember when or where, so put it down to dreaming.

They ate breakfast in Daniel’s room, him pouring over his notes, Vala fidgeting, wanting to ask what they could do that day but dreading an answer of stay here. Pouring a third cup of coffee from the jug, Daniel put his notebook down and looked at his watch.  
“You coming out to the dig?” he asked sharply.  
“What’s there to do?” she replied.  
“I could do with a hand cataloguing and packing up,” was his short response as he got up and started to throw a few things into his backpack. To be bored silly in a hotel room or to be bored with Daniel? There was no contest and she didn’t feel like exploring alone.  
“Give me a few minutes,” and she shot back into her room to grab a pack and throw a few things into it.

The ride out to the dig was dusty and very bumpy; she saw the pyramids in the distance, the place where Professor Langford had first found the Stargate in 1928. His daughter, Catherine had been the one to recruit Daniel to translate the cover stone found with the Stargate in Giza. She knew of him because of his far-out theories about the pyramids - theories of them being much older than most archaeologists’ believed – that had pushed him out of the academic community. Catherine had taken a chance on him because he reminded her of Ernest, her fiancé (who had been the first to go through the Stargate), in his enthusiasm and passion for his chosen field. 

Vala knew that for a long time, Daniel expected the DHD (Dial Home Device) for the Stargate to eventually be unearthed at Giza and had, in the past, spent many days searching for it. He had been bitterly disappointed when it had turned up in Siberia when the original SG-1 had to help the Russians as their secret Stargate developed a fault. It had been confiscated after the war from the Nazis and now there seemed no chance of proving his theories without risking treason by revealing classified information.

Daniel got out of the jeep, grabbed his pack and set off towards the site. He had virtually forgotten Vala in the back who scrambled after him. He headed to the main tent and Vala came in just in time to hear him yelling at some poor grad student who was packing artefacts. Before she could reach them, the poor girl ran off in floods of tears.  
“What the hell are you doing, Daniel?” He rounded on her.  
“Mind your own business,” he snapped. “Take over here!” He walked out. Vala was stunned and it was a full minute before she shrugged her shoulders and settled down to the important but mundane business of cataloguing and packing. She was surprised that quite a few hours had passed so quickly. She was actually getting quite enthusiastic about ancient artefacts for her own sake these days, not just because of Daniel and not just because they might have trading value.

Daniel, meanwhile, was causing more and more discontent and havoc as the day went on. The newest site was contaminated, he said, and sent the grad students packing; the large piece of mosaic flooring had not been cleaned to his liking; the site supervisor was making too many of his own decisions (he had a point there as the SGC were funding a great deal of the dig); there wasn’t enough coffee! He stormed back into the tent.

“Vala!” She jumped as her back was to the tent flap. She turned and was dismayed by the thunder cloud that faced her.  
“Haven’t done much, have you?” he said sarcastically. She flared.  
“Daniel, I haven’t stopped since you walked out!”  
“Well, you obviously haven’t been working very fast, have you?” She flew at him.   
“Daniel, what is wrong with you? You are the most gentle, compassionate man I know. You don’t shout at people, you’re not the sarcastic type. What has happened to you?” She grabbed him by the arms and made him look at her with those deep, blue eyes.  
She thought he was about to lash out but then he crumbled to the ground. She went down with him.

“Daniel?” Tears filled his eyes.   
“Vala, help me!” then he was up on his feet and gone.

She ran after him but he was already berating one of the local men.  
“I can’t deal with this here,” and she turned back, confused and upset. She lit the camping stove and put water on to make coffee. She pulled her cell out of her pocket and dialled Sam but just got the answer service. No Teal’c, no Cam. Who should she call? It would have to be the General again who she really didn’t know that well.

Jack remembered, years ago, that Daniel had been infected by Ma’chello’s Goa'uld-killers and had temporarily gone insane - they’d had to commit him to a padded cell when he had been wrongly diagnosed with schizophrenia – a most upsetting incident. Remembering also that he had been addicted to the sarcophagus, killed and been killed a number of times, ascended, descended, re-ascended, been kidnapped by a Unas, held 12 different consciousness’s in his mind, been made a Prior, swopped bodies with an old man etc etc, Jack was far more pragmatic than Vala about Daniel’s behaviour.

“You need to get him back to the SGC, Vala. You won’t get anywhere with him on your own. I would think something latent has been trigged in his brain and his ‘Help me’ was the old Daniel, reaching out. Just try to keep him away from confrontational situations and Vala? Don’t try too much of your eyelash fluttering!” Never let it be said that Jack didn’t take advantage of situation where he could get Vala to back off a bit with her annoying flirtation with Daniel. 

The water boiled as she rang off. She made coffee and took it in search of Daniel, along with chocolate cookies she found in his pack. She found him venting at the site supervisor again, let him finish then handed him the coffee. For one awful minute, she thought he was going to hurl it away but although his eyes flashed, he said thank you. They sat together on the sand and shared the cookies. Vala waited for him to say something.

It was a full 10 minutes before the real Daniel turned and smiled at her.   
“Vala, I really don’t deserve you as a friend.” They sat quietly, unmoving, she scared to; he looked at her.   
“I’m going to need your help; there is something inside me and its taking me over and I’m not strong enough to fight it. She turned to face him and took hold of his hands.  
“Daniel, I know you. You can fight it and I am with you all the way. But I think we need to get you away from here before you really upset someone and while the real you has surfaced.”

He was very docile. She took his hand, got their packs, found the jeep and driver and got them back to the hotel. The sedative in the coffee was certainly doing its job. He followed her up to his room when they got back and she pushed him gently down on the bed. Within a few minutes he was snoring gently. She pulled the cover over him and slipped into her own room.

Jack answered his cell after the first ring.  
“How’s Danny-boy?” he asked and she explained how well the sedative had worked and that he was sleeping soundly. Jack would be at the airport when they returned, waiting. He rang off with “don’t forget to keep him sedated”.

The injected sedative would last longer than the powder in the capsule so she snuck back into Daniel’s room in the early evening. She packed up the tablets and all his gear ready to leave and he still didn’t rouse. She settled down on the bed beside him, syringe nearby, thankful that she had thought to bring an SGC field medi-kit. He mumbled through his dreams but didn’t wake. She lay there happily for a few hours before he started to stir. She reached and used the syringe and he fell back into oblivion. She knew he might hate her in the morning but she stayed there, dozing fitfully, trying not to dream of how the situation could be slightly different.

Daniel woke as the sun came up and turned to see a sleeping Vala next to him. She saw the real Daniel in his eyes a split second before they turned to hate and she jumped off the bed before he could let rip at her for being there. 

“Sedative, I must get some more sedative in him,” her brain screamed as she hurtled into her adjoining room, frantically searching for another syringe and cursing that she hadn’t thought of taking two with her the evening before. Filling it quickly, she peered round the door. Daniel was sat on the bed, head in hands. She ran in and jabbed his neck before he could move.

“What the hell …? She put her hand over his mouth before he could desecrate the English language; she knew he’d regret it later. He tried to bite her hand.  
“Oww.” She jumped back.  
“What was that?” he asked.  
“Sedative.”  
“Why?”  
“You’re not yourself.”  
“Says who?”  
“I do,” Vala stood there, looking like a Valkyrie, raven hair flying, “and I will continue to keep you sedated until we get back to the SGC. We need to go.” He was already beginning to calm down. She rang for a porter who took the cooler and their bags. She took Daniel’s hand and he meekly followed her down to military jeep that took them to airport where General O’Neill had arranged their pickup. Once aboard, Daniel was asleep before they levelled off and their journey, though boring for Vala, was uneventful.

Jack was there to greet them which was just as well as Daniel was beginning to get antsy again.  
“Hi there, Danny-boy.”  
“Oh, hi.”  
“Hey, is that the way to greet your old buddy?” Daniel just looked.   
“It’s one of those cold looks,” thought Vala and shivered. She glanced around and noted that they were surrounded by a great deal of SGC security, discretely holding zat guns.  
“So, what are you doing here, Jack? Why has the high and mighty commander deigned to come to meet his lowly companions?”  
“Easy, Daniel, I’m here to help”  
“I don’t need your help, Jack. It’s bad enough having her interfering in my life,” as he pointed accusingly at Vala. She flinched.  
“So, Daniel, we’ve got a bit of a problem.”  
“We have?”  
“We have.”  
“And what’s it to do with me?”  
“Excuse me?”  
“What’s it to do with me?”  
“What’s it to do with you?” Daniel standing there, exuding anger and hate, just stared. Jack failed to stare him down, a first.  
“Come on Daniel, let’s go home.” Four personnel stepped forward and held Daniel who began kicking and shouting. Jack plunged a syringe into his neck and he sank to the floor. Vala rushed over to him screaming “Daniel!” as the medics moved him away.

“It was for his own good, Vala. I don’t think he would have come quietly. We’ll let the medics take him to Stargate Command and see him there.” He could see the tears in her eyes as he gently guided her to the waiting car; he saw her into the back seat and jumped in the front, leaving her without the need to talk.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Daniel came to, to find himself strapped to a bed in the infirmary. “Not again” he sighed, struggling ineffectively. The anger started to come to the surface and he started yelling. A medical orderly came running.  
“Fetch General O’Neill and let me out of here!”  
“Yes to the first, Sir but no to the second. Sorry Sir, General’s orders.” He bid a hasty retreat as Daniel continued to struggle and began cursing and swearing. A familiar voice in the next room was giving orders to mildly sedate him again and he started yelling indescribable words amidst a certain desire to be let free. Two orderlies entered to administer the drug, not without difficulty but Daniel began to calm down. General O’Neill walked in.

“How are you feeling, Danny?” he enquired as Daniel’s struggles ceased.  
“Been better, Jack” he replied “but I’ve been worse too. What’s happening to me?”  
“Not all your meds are in yet but, so far, we have no idea apart from the slight enlargement of the cortex, though what that means, I have no idea! With your intelligence, that could be natural but we can’t be sure and we need further tests.”  
“Are these restraints necessary?”  
“They are when you are not sedated. You become angry, insulting and mean!”  
“Have I … hurt anyone?”  
“Not physically that I know of, but I certainly think you have damaged a few egos; talk to Vala, she’ll tell you in no uncertain terms!”  
“Yes, where’s Vala?”  
“Waiting for me to allow her in. She has been sat here,” he indicated the nearby chair, “most of the night and Sam Teal’c and I have been regulars in keeping her company.”

Daniel sighed as he relaxed.  
“Tell me what I need to do, I can’t stay here. The tablets,” he cried as the memories were beginning to settle down. “Did she bring them?”  
“Of course I did, Daniel.” Vala walked into the room. “How are you?” He smiled and Vala’s heart jumped.  
“Not really sure but as well as I am, I am sure is down to you.” She wanted to give him a hug, hold his hand, tell him everything would be alright, tell him how much she cared but she just sat down and smiled.  
“You’ll be fine,” came out lamely.

Dr Lam arrived and spent the next ten minutes explaining to Daniel what she thought was going on and how sedation could, hopefully control it. When Daniel agreed to the plan, which including having a member of SG-1 with him at all times, his restraints were removed. Promising to return in 4 hours for a repeat dose, Daniel was keen to get back to his research but was dragged off to the mess for breakfast.

“Are you sure you want to start eating those again?” said Daniel as Jack started to consume a bowl of fruit loops. Vala started to look horrified, scared the sedative was wearing off already. Jack laughed, remember the version of ‘Groundhog Day’ that had affected Stargate Command; each day had started off with Jack eating fruit loops and Daniel saying “What do you think?” when Jack hadn’t been listing to a word he’d said. The four of them laughed, even more so seeing Vala’s face and Sam quickly explained.

Breakfast over, Daniel and Vala headed to his office. The tablets were unpacked, neatly laid out on his desk. Used to working together, they fell into the familiar pattern where he read, talked when he wanted to and Vala listened, probably better than she had ever listened before. After about an hour, he turned to her.  
“Did I hurt anyone?” he asked softly  
“No Daniel,” but she turned away. He reached out and touched her face, turning it back towards him.  
“I hurt you, didn’t I?” Vala blinked back the threatening tears.  
“You can’t hurt me, Jackson,” she said, as light as she possibly could, full of that Vala bravado.  
“And you can’t fool me,” he retorted. He spotted the plaster on her hand and reached for it.  
“I cut myself,” she tried but he cut in.  
“What did I do?”  
“You bit me.”  
“I bit you?” he was incredulous. He let go of her hand and she absently mindedly rubbed at it. “I bit you?” he repeated. At that moment, Vala wanted to be anywhere but there. Daniel’s mind was racing. He’d bit Vala? Want the hell had he been doing? He looked at her but she was staring down at her hands. He took them gently.

“Vala? Vala, look at me. You are going to have to tell me everything.” She turned, slowly, to look at him.  
“I don’t know if I can, Daniel,” she said quietly.  
“You have to. If I am going to beat this … thing that is happening to me, one matter I will have to deal with is to make amends. Did I hurt anyone else?”  
“Not physically, Daniel.” He dropped her hands and got up, started pacing the room but with far more urgency than usual.  
“Tell me,” he grunted. She told him.

Although she kept her head down, Daniel could sense the fear, the anxiety and the pain she was suffering as he kept asking for more details, details that he vaguely knew but couldn’t quite recall as the behaviour was so alien to him.  
“Why are you doing this to yourself, Daniel?” she suddenly flared. He was already feeling bad and was increasingly mortified by what he was hearing.  
“I have to know! How much more?”  
“I think a return call to the Jeffersonian wouldn’t go amiss,” said Vala, swinging round to face the desktop and starting the process. “You up to this?” Daniel smiled and walked round to lean over her shoulder.  
“I need to do this,” he stated.

It turned out that Dr Brennan and Agent Booth were out on a case. Angela Montenegro answered the call and Daniel was relieved that they had not been concerned with his behaviour.  
“Don’t worry, sweetie, Tempe’s like it all the time; you geniuses are allowed to be eccentric! Doesn’t make you any less likeable … very often,” she added.

Knowing he also needed to make some amending overtures to the site in Giza, he picked up the phone and spoke to the site supervisor. Vala pretended to have a real interest in the books furthest away from him until he had finished. He sat down with a sigh, putting his head in his hands.

“Are you feeling unwell, Daniel Jackson?” Teal’c stood by the door having suddenly appeared with no ensuing noise, as was his wont.  
“I’m fine, Teal’c, thank you,” Daniel replied, lifting his head.  
“I have come to relieve you, Vala MalDoran as General O’Neill would like to speak to you.” Reluctantly, Vala left the room, glancing back at Daniel, face back in hands.

“Come in, Teal’c.”  
“I think, Daniel Jackson, it might be more auspicious for you to come with me. I am to partake in Kelno’reem and I have a wish for your company.”  
“I thought you didn’t need to do that anymore.”  
“I do not, Daniel Jackson; I thought that a quiet meditation might do you good!” Daniel laughed. Despite the formality of his speech, Daniel and Teal’c were close; despite the fact that Teal’c had killed Sha’re, they always looked to each other’s six although it had taken time for Daniel to completely forgive the Jaffa even when it had meant that Teal’s had saved his life. Like all members of SG-1, they were a family, bereft in all but a few relations between them. Sam had a brother, Teal’c a son who was married and a sometime partner, Ishta, Jack had had a son and had an ex-wife but basically, they were a bunch of misfits, albeit intellectual ones!

Teal’c quarters were filled with lighted candles and they both sat, cross-legged on the floor. As Daniel sat quietly and let his thoughts drift away, his mind relaxed. Unconsciously, he was absolutely exhausted; two personalities, constantly battling for control for getting on for a month now, were taking their toll. He was vaguely aware that he was ‘going under’ far quicker than usual and was also vaguely aware of fragments from the book of Origin floating through his head. As he fell deeper into a meditative state, Origin flowed completely into his mind until, suddenly, he jumped up.

“Hallowed are the Ori” he screamed, standing with his arms above his head as if welcoming the light. Teal’c was up in a flash, tackling him to the ground. They fought, hard. Daniel felt as though he could dominate the world. He pushed Teal’c off him, no mean feat and ran for the door. Teal’c pulled himself up and took a few seconds to pull himself together. Never, ever, had he been anywhere near being bested by Daniel Jackson!

He hit the alarm button by the door and the siren sounded. He grabbed the phone, straight through to the gate room and the base was immediately on alert for Daniel. The sound of running footsteps echoed along the corridors; zat guns were being doled out at the armoury. Vala was beside herself, hurtling towards to Daniel’s on-base quarters, then his office.

He was found in SG-1’s locker room, by Sam, curled in a corner, repeating the word “no” like a mantra. With Sam quickly calling in that he was found, O’Neill ordered back up as Teal’c and Vala raced to the room. They found Sam kneeling on the floor, holding Daniel, who was shaking, sobbing into her shoulder. No-one said a word as they waited for the medics. Sam helped Daniel up and, after they gave him a quick injection, she accompanied him, under heavy guard, to the infirmary. The other three looked at each other, not sure what to do.

“Who was he with?” demanded O’Neill as he walked into the room.  
“Daniel Jackson was with me, O’Neill,” said Teal’c. “I thought a session of Kelno’reem might help.”  
“My office, 5 minutes.” He wasn’t discussing Dr Jackson where others could hear. “And get General Carter.” He headed back to his office; Teal’c went to get Sam and Vala.

“How is he?” was on everyone’s lips as Teal’c, Sam and Vala entered the General’s office.   
“He’s sleeping. He’s had a heavy dose of sedative and will probably be out for the rest of the day.” They all looked harried and exhausted, especially Vala. No more the flamboyant, daredevil woman; at this time, she looked as though her world was crashing round her. Sam was realising just what Daniel meant to Vala. Although they had a few ‘girlie’ chats about men, dating and, yes, about Daniel specifically, Sam had never really taken them seriously but now, as she looked at Vala, she saw so much pain. She considered whether she should have a talk with Vala about Jack and Daniel and their extremely complicated relationship because she was pretty sure that Daniel was not in the market for a relationship with Vala but knew it would have to wait for now.

“OK, Teal’c, tell us what happened,” said O’Neill. Teal’c recounted events. Sam looked horrified when he told them what Daniel had shouted. Jack, having only read reports and heard things second hand about a lot of the problems with Origin, was confused; tears fell from Vala’s eyes.  
“This is all my fault,” she whispered, covering her face with her hands. Vala had borne the Orici, her baby, Adria, who had matured to a beautiful but malevolent young lady in a short space of time; she had not understood how drastically their lives would change when the Prior quoted:

“Calium videre eessit, et eraos ad sidera tollere vultus. She belongs to all who follow the path. Ex uno disce omnes. From one, all will learn. She is Orici. Such is her purpose. In this vast expanse that is sheltered by evil and led astray, she will be the beacon of light in the darkness to the warriors of the Ori and to all who follow the true path to salvation. With the wisdom of the ages, she will lead us to glorious victory over any and all unbelievers."

Adria was born to be leader of the Ori who followed the book of Origin. It was an uncomfortable time as she had tried, time after time, to convince Adria to change her path. The last SG1 had seen of Adria was as she battled with another ascended being, an Ancient known as Morgan-le-Fay, as they removed the violent factions from the religion. The assembled group sat in silence as Vala relived such awful memories.

“Priors!” They all turned to her. “Adria made Daniel a Prior. What if something has triggered those memories off?” Jack looked confused; Teal’c raised an eyebrow and Sam jumped up.  
“Yes!” she cried, “That could well be it. He was pretty nasty at times as a Prior.” Vala hadn’t seen that. Sat on his lap whilst he was restrained on the Odyssey, all she had seen was the man she quite fancied. Not quite true, she thought, remembering the conversation they had had about what he would have done were their positions reversed. Sam had rushed over to a computer console and was frantically pouring through the archives. She found the relevant report and looked up in triumph.

“The medical report from the Odyssey, when we had Daniel on board whilst a Prior. It says that his cortex was enlarged and that he had a tendency be unconditionally rude. It also says that he had to be restrained a number of times by several men, which accounts for the extraordinary strength.” She sighed. “What do we do?”

The realisation that the Ori may not be completed vanquished was showing on the faces staring at Sam. A tear ran down Vala’s face; even Teal’ looked at a loss. It was left to Jack to take the initiative.

“OK, find everything you can on the Ori etc and get it on my desk yesterday. I know a lot but not enough about the Ori”  
“Will sort it, General,” said Vala, giving a mock salute.  
“Teal’c, I want you to go see Bra’tac and find out if there is any word of the Ori amongst the Jaffa and traders. Carter, can you contact the Tok’ra? I know we are not on good terms with them anymore but, hell, I’d even take Anise if they may be able to help with Daniel. Vala, stick with Daniel whilst you do your research when he’s not under sedation in the infirmary; I know you have your own computer in his office. Tell him it’s an order – no, I’d better tell him myself or Danny boy will be freaked at me giving licence to Vala to stay with him 24-7. Report back as soon as you know something relevant; I don’t think anyone is going off base at the moment. Go, people.”

An hour later the Stargate was activating and the two Generals, O’Neill and Carter, were waiting for the Tok’ra to arrive. Jack’s face was a picture when Anise/Freya walked down the ramp.  
“Yow! Carter, what is she doing here?”  
“She was the only one who would come, Sir. Our relationship with the Tok’ra has not been particularly good since my Dad died.” Anise’s eyes glowed. Aside, to Carter  
“Suppose she is better than nothing. How ya doin’, Anise? Is Freya in there somewhere?”  
Bowing her head slightly brought Freya, the host, to the forefront.  
“It is good to see you, Colonels O’Neill and Carter.”  
“It’s Generals now, Freya.”  
“Then, congratulations are due to both of you. Now, let’s go and see if I can help Dr Jackson.” Jack, never comfortable with that whole ‘two people in one body’ thing, especially the one that had tried to seduce him, shrugged and headed up to his office.

It was a dreary bunch that sat round that table while Daniel slept on. He dreamed, violent, realistic dreams and couldn’t get out of them. He saw Adria, the Doci, wasteland, Priors everywhere. He saw the Supergate, the massive ships the Ori used and he just couldn’t get away from it all. Sweat poured off him as he twisted and turned in his restraints; medics looked on, worried, unsure of what to do. Dr Lam asked for another towel to try to keep him comfortable. She had never seen anyone quite like this, let alone Daniel. He screamed, arching his back as far as the restraints would allow. His eyes opened wide and he strained his arms. One restraint failed.  
“Hold him” yelled Carolyn as Daniel made a bid for escape. He didn’t get far but Carolyn Lam was reluctant to sedate him again as she knew people needed to talk to him and needed his expert input.

She calmed him down which was surprisingly easy once he was fully awake then rang down to General O’Neill. Vala was there in seconds; Daniel tried to turn away from her, tears in his eyes. She touched him on the shoulder but got no response so walked round the bed. He closed his eyes as she knelt down to that level.  
“Daniel. Look at me. Daniel!” His eyes fluttered and he looked at Vala with tears in his eyes.  
“All I seem to do at the moment is shout, scream or cry,” he whispered. She brushed a tear from his cheek, lump in her throat. She looked up at Dr Lam.  
“Can you let him go?”


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It was important that Daniel be able to take part in the discussions. They needed to know what was in his head. They wanted his input, his experience, his knowledge and he sure needed them. Putting plasicuffs on him after removing the rest of the restraints, two medics escorted him to O’Neill’s office, Vala trailing behind. A weary Daniel faced his friends with more than a little trepidation. His head fell forward, so typically Daniel. Vala pulled a chair out for him and he sat down, uncomfortably.

“Daniel, how are you feeling?” asked General O’Neill. Daniel sighed.  
“Weird I suppose is one way of describing it!”  
“You have had this sort of thing happen before though, haven’t you?”  
“This is different, Jack. I am beginning to think that I am being pulled back to being something or someone that I’ve been before, or, at least, has invaded me before.”  
“Well, that gives us plenty of scope,” quipped Jack.  
“Sir?”  
“Carter?”  
“Sir, with all due respect, I think Daniel’s in a lot of pain!”  
“And your point is?”  
“Do I have to spell it out, Sir?” Jack subsided.

“Daniel, are you aware of what you shouted out whilst with Teal’c?” asked O’Neill.  
“No,” replied Daniel and suddenly became aware of the exchanged glances and palatable tension that had hit the room.  
“Dr Jackson, it is a shame that I do not greet you in better circumstances.” said Anise, in that awful, Goa’uld voice. Daniel nodded in acknowledgement. Glancing around at the others who nodded almost imperceptibly to Anise, “You shouted out ‘Hallowed are the Ori.’” Daniel went very pale and without thinking whispered ‘Adria,’ and looked at Vala who had a tear running down her left cheek. He wanted to reach out and brush it away; he wanted to hit her, to shake her into oblivion. Horrified, he tried to put his head in his hands, rather difficult when cuffed. 

The tension in the room increased. Daniel couldn’t remember when he last felt this alone, surround by his surrogate family. These people were all he had and no-one, not one of them, knew how to help him. Despair hit him so hard, more than it ever had before. He knew he had taken a great risk letting Adria make him a Prior. But he had been able to control it. He had hated preaching Origin to strangers on different worlds, loathed the philosophy behind the Ori and the mind-changing process that made a Prior but he had always known he was still in control; the remnants of Merlin’s memories has made sure of that, but now? What was happening and what had triggered it off? 

He was aware that conversation had continued. He looked up and tried to focus. They all appeared to be discussing his plight earnestly as though he wasn’t there.  
“Stop it!” He stood up as he yelled and was mortified as Sam pulled a zat and Jack was out of his chair in a flash, pinning his arms very uncomfortably to his side. Anise looked at Daniel.  
“The Tok’ra can help with sedation, probably a better drug than yours,” (Jack squirmed) “but it is not a long lasting help and also, we would not recommend its continual use. Short term, it can hopefully help repress the latent character so that we can all work on finding out how to ‘cure’ Dr Jackson. What have you been doing in the last few months?”

“We have been cold dialling worlds and visiting them,” replied Sam, “other than that, nothing exciting. We have found quite a few completed devastated...” her words trailed off as she realised the magnitude of what she was saying. If a people did not accept Origin, the Ori had a habit of wiping out the planet. Her scientific brain was in overdrive and she could sense Daniel’s working too – it was amazing that, considering they were scientists that came from completely different fields, they often thought on the same lines – well, they were both the foremost experts, even if the rest of the world didn’t know it and they had been working together for over 10 years. She looked at him. 

“Daniel, what if those worlds were devastated by Priors?” Still thinking out loud. “What if some residue left behind triggered your Prior character? Have you ever read your med file from that time?” Daniel said that he hadn’t and Jack, reluctantly letting him go, rifled through a stack of papers and put a med report in front of Daniel. Vala and Sam got up to pour coffee all round, giving him a little privacy to read. General O’Neill turned and spoke to Anise.

“You OK Danny Boy?” said Jack as colour drained from Daniel’s face as he read.  
“Nope,” said Daniel, “but I do think we are on to something.” Vala put a mug of coffee in front of him and he tried to pick it up and failed. He bit back an expletive. The smell of coffee was getting to the caffeine addict! Daniel was known for his love of the beverage and was often seen wandering around, reading a book or papers, with a mug of coffee at a precarious angle. 

“Jack?” He held up his hands.  
“Daniel?”  
“Please?” Jack considered. Still stood by Daniel, his best friend, his partner, he contemplated the options.  
“Carter, you got more plasi-strips? “She produced them and he strung a few together, fastened one to Daniel’s left wrist and the other, with about 2 feet between them, to his own right wrist; he then cut away the other cuffs.  
“Thanks” said Daniel as he reached for the coffee. Jack sat down, arm stretched across the table.

O’Neill took control.  
“OK people, Daniel, what about this help from the Tok’ra?”  
“Can I speak to Freya, first?” replied Daniel. Anise bowed her head; when she lifted it, Freya spoke.  
“I am sorry, Dr Jackson, to see you again in these circumstances. What do you wish to know?”  
“Tell me about the drug – what does it do, will it keep me from going nuts?”  
Freya smiled. “There is no easy answer as you are not Tok’ra; suffice to say, there are no detrimental effects on Tok’ra for at least 30 days which should give you enough time to research and maybe travel to find your answers. I will give Sam a monitoring device which she, in conjunction with Dr Lam, can use every day to check your progress. You will feel tired and you will need to sleep a great deal as the drug is an inhibitor and may make thinking and reasoning difficult; (I’m going to be woolly brained, thought Daniel). It should suppress the characteristics of the invasive personality. The actual dose is short term so if you do not take it regularly, the personality traits will return – it is a bit like suppressing a symbiote in a host.” Daniel grimaced but knew it had to be done.

“I presume I am not going to be left alone.”  
“That had already been decided, Danny,” said O’Neill. “I’m sorry, but you will have very little privacy for the next few weeks but I am sure SG1 will be the same. OK, that’s sorted. Freya, do you or Anise have anything further to offer?”  
“I think our best method of helping would be to return to the Tok’ra and start gathering intelligence about devastated worlds, about any Prior behaviour and any hints as to the resurgence of the Ori. What are your plans?”  
Daniel spoke. “I may be taking a leap of faith here but I think the tablets found near DC may have something that will help us. I need to spend time looking at them, I need to speak to Booth and Brennan and we need to find out as much as we can on those planets we visited.”

Tasks were allocated. Anise/Freya returned home through the Stargate. Sam took Daniel to the infirmary and she and Carolyn Lam administered the first dose to Daniel, an agitated Vala looking on. Jack had stayed to see Anise/Freya off. When Sam returned from the Infirmary, they discussed further options:  
"I’m gonna get on with some research of my own and then, when Teal’c returns, I wanna take him and SG2 to those 5 worlds and check them out myself!”  
“We’ve locked them out of the dialling system but I’m sure I can fix that if Harriman can’t. Let’s get to it.”

Daniel had made his way back to his office, Vala trailing behind, unusually quiet; normally she would have been prattling on, vaguely annoying him. Daniel knew exactly where he was going and what he was going to do in the next few hours. He knew he had about 4 hours on this new drug before he had to return to the infirmary. On entry to his office, he looked at Vala; she looked away.

“Vala, look at me!” When she didn’t, he grabbed her face with both hands.  
“Vala, it is going to get worse, you heard what they said.” She nodded. “I need your help but first, I have got to get these tablets sorted. I don’t know why but I feel there might be some connection – it might be something to do with the fact that one mentions a fraction in the Ancients. I need you to assist and the first thing is to get hold of the Jeffersonian and get Dr Brennan and Agent Booth. I am probably going to make some pretty harsh demands on you and as time goes on, I may get more short tempered and rude and mean. Please, please remember it’s not me.”

Deciding it was best not to comment, Vala turned to the PC as Daniel spread out his notes; nine large pages, each with a translation of a tablet written underneath the copied Ancient. He was immediately engrossed, looking for links, comparing gate addresses with given information and trying to put them in order. He needed more info about where and how they were found.

He was vaguely aware of talking and Vala called him over to the PC. Dr Brennan was there. Again, no pleasantries; Daniel got straight to the point and very quickly got his answer. The bones had now been dated to over 10,000 years ago and were a very important anthropological and archaeological find. What was more important to Daniel was that this find would go some way to supporting his original theories all those years ago about there being advanced societies on earth, as long as he was able to publish on the tablets associated with the bones. Daniel belatedly asked Angela (who had accompanied Tempe to the webcam) about Sarah but she did not know her well. All she could report was a conversation held in a bar one night years ago where she had been part of a group of friends and they had discussed “bosses” and their attitudes and well as their aptitudes. She remembered Sarah saying that it had been the PhD student rather than the Professor who had been the brilliant one.

Vala stood silently, taking all this in. She knew there was history between Sarah and Daniel. She knew that Sarah had been taken over by the Goa’uld Osiris and that Sam and Janet Fraiser, SGC’s chief medic until her death in the field a few years ago, had gone with Daniel after it had happened in search of a relic and they’d fought her. She also knew that Osiris had met up with Daniel at the equivalent of a Goa’uld conference when he was masquerading as Lord Yu’s Lotar (master servant) and that she had also been responsible for some very dangerous dreaming that Daniel had done but she had no idea what, if anything, he still felt for her. Vala knew he would never stop loving Sha’re but Sha’re was dead; she could live with that but she didn’t know if she could handle dealing with an ex-girlfriend of Daniel’s who, like herself, had been saved by the Tok’ra. Daniel agreed to fax some of the translations to the Jeffersonian and disconnected. He turned to look at Vala, not really knowing what to say or do as she was looking so unhappy. 

Just smile, he thought and walk to your other desk; sit down, don’t say anything, don’t make further eye contact; get on with your work, it must be the drug. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms round her.   
“So much for my strength of will,” he muttered.  
“What?” said Vala.  
“Oh nothing,” he mumbled into her hair, “just thought you might like a hug.” She resisted a flippant remark, and hugged him back.  
“Thank you Daniel,” she murmured. “Perhaps we’d better get down to work again?” and she moved to sit in what had become her chair.

“OK, let’s see if I can sort these gate addresses and can you make copies of this please?” Daniel indicated parts of the first few sheets of paper which would be sent to Dr Brennan. He didn’t want it all to go, especially the addresses as no-one else would understand them and it was classified. They both sat down and worked quietly, Vala surprisingly happy and Daniel completely involved in figuring out gate addresses from sets of glyphs representing star constellations. They were both surprised when his watch beeped, indicating it was time to report to the infirmary. Footsteps on the corridor brought Sam to his office door and the three of them made for the medical section. 

A further dose of the sedative, a few tests and the three friends headed to the mess to meet up with Jack for food. No word had been heard from Teal’c and nothing new from the Tok’ra yet but Jack was getting a handle on the Ori. He consulted his notes.

“Correct me if I am wrong but does this sum up the Priors?” and he read the passage to them.

Priors possess considerable telekinetic abilities, enabling them to choke and kill, manipulate the wind or pin someone to the ground. They are capable of reviving the recently deceased. They can infect individuals with a highly infectious plague and replicate the negative effects of the Ancients' healing device. The staff they carry will light up while they exercise some of these powers which may indicate that some of their abilities require technological assistance; however, they still possess great knowledge and power even without the staff.

Daniel nodded, not trusting himself to speak, waiting for the question he knew one of them would ask. Money’s on Jack, he thought and was right,  
“Did you feel those urges, Daniel?” Jack asked quietly. Daniel dropped his head, scared to look at his friends.  
“Yes,” he muttered “but I held them in check.”  
“But was that Merlin helping you?” said Sam  
“I don’t know!” Everyone fell silent. Daniel guessed what they were thinking, that if he was really revisiting his time as a Prior and he couldn’t control these abilities, weren’t they all in danger? He got up, knocking the chair over in his haste to get away; his friends couldn’t trust him anymore. He could put the whole base in danger. He ran, as fast and as far as possible, climbing 8 sets of stairs before finding an elevator door opening. Once out of the mountain, he climbed to the spot he used to go to while he was still searching for Sha’re and he sat and he wept.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It was Sam who found him, staring into the trees. He had obviously been crying but seemed relatively calm now. However, when he eventually looked at her, she saw that cold flash in his eyes and heard the accusing tone when he asked her what she wanted. But Sam knew how to handle Daniel and she just smiled, sat down beside him and quietly said, “I’m just looking out for you.” She took his hand and held it fast, eventually feeling him return the grip and swivel round to look at her. However, she was shocked by the words that followed.

“Sam, I… I need to go off world. I am putting you all in danger. Hell, I might even be acting as a beacon for the Ori if they are still out there. Just ’cos we think Adria’s gone, doesn’t mean it is so; she and Morgan-le-Fay can’t fight forever. I want to go to back to the City of the Gods, to Celestis. I’m scared, but I need to go. I never told anyone but there is a gate there and with the extra power we have now from the ZPM’s found in the Pegasus Galaxy, it’s not going to be a problem. Sam, you need to get me through that gate without anyone else knowing – do you understand?” He looked at her, his eyes desperate.

“You can’t go alone Daniel, you know that and we won’t let you. I need to monitor your drug, Jack won’t let you go without him, Teal’c would go crazy and Vala, well, I sure don’t want to be left behind with her ranting and raving about ‘my Daniel’! Even Mitchell would go nuts. We’re a team Daniel – look at me – we are a team! And what you do, we do! Do you understand?”

“No Sam, not this time. This is something I have to do alone. If you won’t help me, someone will but,” he said quietly, “I would rather it were you.”  
“Daniel, I’m not happy about this – what are you going to do?”  
“I am going to face the flames again and try to get some answers. I want to know what is behind their power. They are not gods; something is working for them and I think that is what may be latching on to residuals left in me.”

She didn’t know what to say, apart from repeating that she wasn’t at all happy about this. He grabbed her other hand, earnestly though obviously having a momentary lapse of control as his face hardened and he shook slightly.  
“Look Sam, let me go. Maybe, I will be able to solve this; you know how good I am at solving puzzles,” he said flippantly. “Once I have found some answers, I’ll come back and we can then consider the next step.”

Sam was pensive but it didn’t take her long to come to a decision.  
“I will do as you ask, Daniel, but you have let me come with you, for your health’s sake,” she added quickly. “We can get Walter to dial up for us later tonight and we could be gone and back before the others know it.” It was so tempting; although now a seasoned warrior, Daniel wasn’t military and he knew so well that he needed someone watching his back. He could get so involved with discussion that he was oblivious to what was going on around him.

“Well?” Silence. “Daniel?”  
“Thanks, Sam,” was all he could manage. Why did he deserve so much loyalty? Why had he been so lucky to make good on his many earlier disasters and losses? They sat there, in silence, able to gain strength from each other’s company before slowly moving off the mountain.

“You go back to work, Daniel, Vala will be frantic by now and I will go see Walter. If necessary, I will order him to dial up and take the consequences after we return.” Daniel smiled but knew nothing he would say would change her mind and, actually, he was pleased and relieved. But, before they parted, there was one thing Daniel had to know.  
“Sam, how is she .. er.. um.. Vala, taking all this?” Sam stopped and looked at him.

“How do you think she is taking it Daniel? She’s scared, she’s upset and she.. , “Sam gulped, wondered if she should but decided to jump in with both feet, “..she doesn’t know where she is with you and I think you owe it to her to tell her about you and Jack.” She trailed off, wondering if she had gone too far as this was not general knowledge of course and she wasn’t sure if Daniel knew that she knew. She and Daniel had never talked properly about his relationship with Jack or Vala which was odd as they talked about everything. She had confided in him when Pete asked her to marry him; she had let out how she felt about Jack once, in a weak moment long ago but she had only ever been part of the gentle teasing where Vala was concerned.

“When did you know, Sam, about Jack and me? I never told you. Did Jack?”  
“No, Teal’c and I were discussing you and Vala one night when you had used the stones and he was the one who enlightened me. He just knew and I sorta guessed but couldn’t you have trusted me?” as Daniel hesitated, Sam continued, “I know, it was all that DADT stuff.”  
“Sam, we didn’t want to put you at risk by having to lie if asked outright. This way, you could deny any knowledge freely.”

Daniel dropped his head and started walking back down the mountain. Sam knew that this really wasn’t the time and the place so, having said her bit, she followed him to the elevator and they travelled to the lower floors in silence, Daniel leaving with “I’ll see you later.” Sam descended further to the gate room to sweet talk Walter Harriman.

Expecting to find Vala in his office, Daniel wasn’t sure if he was pleased or disappointed that she wasn’t there. He sat at his main desk but just stared blankly at his translations, knowing he should let someone know he was back so one person could be with him. A myriad of thoughts ran through his brain. Was he doing the right thing, going to Celestis? Why did he give in to Sam so quickly to put her in danger? What did the gate addresses mean? Why was Vala still messing with him? Jack found him so, head in hands.

“Hey, Daniel, how you doing?”  
“Far better if everyone would …” he stopped himself before he alienated Jack and had to mentally get a grip of his emotions as Jack reached him and put a hand on his shoulder. It was difficult to do but Daniel felt he did have more control thanks to the Tok’ra drug. He succeeded but then all he wanted to do was throw himself into Jack’s arms and knew that it was a bit no no on base.

“What can I do for you?” he finished rather lamely. Jack had come to get Daniel’s views on those last few planets they had visited whilst he had been in Washington. Although he’d read the reports, he knew that Daniel had not been forthcoming about what he had been feeling, about the slow but steady slide into despondency and arrogance. As they sat and talked, the pattern of desolate planets and Daniel feeling more cut off and alone, yet more angry and uncaring, was revealed to be linked to the distance he went onto the planet’s surface from the Stargate. Jack was kicking himself for not noticing this and realised how little they had talked in recent months; their nightly phone calls had dwindled considerably but he’d put it down to the pressures of their jobs, which, in a way, it was. Daniel, knowing that Jack was just waiting for Teal’c to return before setting out to visit these worlds, tried to give him as much information as he could. He remembered that last planet, where he had sat by the gate for 3 hours, refusing to go any further than its immediate environs; that was probably where Jack should go first ’cos Daniel certainly hadn’t wanted to go anywhere on that godforsaken wilderness.

Vala has returned whilst they were talking. She had just snuck in, sat down and listened. She now added to the ensuing conversation, remembering how Daniel had felt unwell on their second cold dial planet. That went on to Jack’s list as his second visit. Coincidentally, at that moment, the siren went off along with Harriman voicing “Unscheduled off-world activation!”

“Gotta go!” said Jack, “hopefully Teal’c,” and the other two quickly followed. Harriman, on receipt of Teal’c’s IDC, had commanded the iris opened. That warrior stepped through the event horizon and staggered down the ramp carrying a very heavy chest. Military personnel rushed to relieve him of his burden and he gave orders for the chest to be taken to Daniel Jackson’s office for his perusal. Daniel, hanging back, took off behind the carriers as he felt anger and arrogance come to the fore. He knew it was irrational to be thinking that, in the midst of a crisis, Teal’c was bringing him work! He knew it must be something that would help but could hardly control the rage building up inside. He heard Jack say “Vala, stick with Daniel.” He also knew that he needed her to be with him now so that she wouldn’t argue when Sam took over in a few hours yet he wanted to be alone.

He was surprised, therefore, when she sat down in his office, picked up the last of the tablets to be worked on properly and quietly started copying the symbols onto a large piece of paper. She didn’t even ask how he was or where he had been, just told him, factually, that the faxes had gone to Dr Brennan, then put her head down and worked. Not trusting himself to speak anything but angrily, he just nodded, sat down and opened the chest.

Inside were a mixture of papers and artefacts. He spent 20 minutes or so reading through various reports by Jaffa on recent encounters with Priors but learned nothing new. Then he returned to rummage in the chest. One artefact in particular drew his interest, part of a Prior’s staff. Watching out of the corner of her eye, Vala saw him draw the piece out almost reverently and alarm bells went off in her head.

“Just popping out for a moment, Daniel,” she said as she headed for the nearest phone not in his office. Jack and Teal’c had already left so Colonel Lou Ferretti, nominally in charge, ‘wandered’ down to Daniel’s office. Daniel was staring at the staff and Vala whispered that he hadn’t moved. Ferretti walked over to Daniel and put a hand on his shoulder.  
“Are you alright, Dr Jackson?” he asked, shaking Daniel a little. Daniel seemed to ‘snap out of it’ and looked, rather dopily, up at the other man.  
“Um.. yeah, fine,” he said. “Um.. Vala, you have this – go take it to Sam please.” She left and Ferretti sat down.

“Dr Jackson, Daniel, how are you doing?”  
“Um..OK Lou, I think. I can just about control it and I don’t think I have upset anyone recently, since my “new” medication.” He made inverted comma symbols with two fingers of each hand as he said new. “However, judging by that episode just then with the staff, I am now pretty sure that this is a left over from my time as a Prior.” His head dropped. “Lou? I know Vala is blaming herself for much of this. Adria was her child, however odd the conception and growth of the young women was, is, maybe.. I don’t know what or where she is now, but I just have this sneaking suspicion that we haven’t heard the last of her and Origin. As Landry’s 2IC, please do what you can to make sure that she is looked after by the Air Force. I know Jack would do his best but Washington is a long way..”  
“And Jack is bound to see her as a bit of a rival for your affections, Daniel.”  
“Not you as well! Does the whole base know?”  
“Of course not but you must remember the time when there was a book on the pair of you so everyone knew it was coming and you do have a habit of staring into each other’s eyes – it’s quite sweet really! But of course we will make sure that she is looked after, she’s one of us now but you’ll get through this. I have every faith in SG1 and we will be there to back you up if necessary. And you do know that she’s been put on the same pensionable and insured scheme as you, Teal’c and any other civilians that work at the SGC; I am sure that General Landry will have made sure that her extra contributions were paid up. She’ll not want for money and she will be able to stay on Earth for as long as she wishes.”

Daniel scribbled on a piece of paper and handed it to Lou.  
“I know it’s not an official document but this says that Vala can have my house. Airman,” Daniel raised his voice as he was aware of someone passing by, “please witness this.”  
“I want to be sure she has somewhere to live,” stated Daniel after the airman had gone. “You know I have no living relatives, well except Nick and he didn’t want me so he can’t have my house!” Daniel said, petulantly. When Daniel’s parents had been killed in a freak accident in a museum, Nick Ballard, himself a famous archaeologist, had refused to take in the 8 year old Danny, leaving him to a series of foster parents and care homes. Daniel had never really forgiven him although they had been reconciled in the last few years.  
“OK Daniel but I think you ought to give this to O’Neill when he returns but we won’t need it. Here,” he gave the piece of paper back to Daniel, “photocopy it and I’ll keep it safe till this is over and then you can have it back or put it in your personnel file, I’ll leave that up to you.” As Ferretti finished, Vala returned, bringing with her mugs of coffee. He gave up the seat to Vala and, with a quick leave-taking, left the room.

“Sam says she’ll take over after your next dose so I have time to finish this last tablet. You feeling OK?” He smiled.  
“I’m doing fine, Vala.” He said and they did that ‘I’m not going to look away before you do’ thing that they often did. Daniel was the first to break as he could feel himself getting annoyed at the presumption of someone making that much eye contact with him, a Prior. “No.” he thought to himself, “suppress it, get on with your work, don’t hurt her anymore.”

The next two hours passed uneventfully. Vala finished the last page and Daniel translated it, she writing down exactly what he said. He also now had a list of five gate addresses with seven glyphs, all in galaxies far away from Earth and he knew that when, not if he got back from Celestis, these were the first place to try for further answers. He frowned as he looked at the list.

Was the answer out there somewhere? Had he got the right combinations off the ten tablets? What was he going to find out there? His watch beeped and Sam appeared almost instantaneously. The three of them wandered silently to the infirmary, Daniel got his next injection, the necessary tests and they headed back out. Daniel hoped Vala didn’t notice that Sam hadn’t returned either the monitor or a handful of syringes along with a bottle of the sedative but had slipped them in her pack.

They thought they were going to have difficulty getting rid of Vala without making it too obvious but she went, promising to be on call in her room. No-one was going off base to sleep just at the moment. Sam and Daniel made as to go to his office but swung round towards the stairs and walked down to level 28. The gate room was quite quiet when no traffic was expected. Sam had collected Daniel’s pack, she waved to Walter and he started dialling. As the point of origin locked into place and the kawoosh of the event horizon happened, so did Vala, behind Walter, frantically waving. Daniel’s heart fluttered and he felt really bad. He could see she was shouting but Walter had turned the mike off. Sighing, he grabbed Sam, ran up the ramp and they disappeared through the gate. The gate shut down and silence returned. Vala collapsed on the floor in a heap, sobbing “Daniel.”


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Daniel and Sam stepped out of the Stargate a few seconds later, onto the vast Plains of Celestis. With only a glance and a quick rummage through their packs for their weapons, they started walking towards the City of the Gods in the far distance. Neither spoke. Sam had never been to Celestis and she was quite in awe of the seemingly endless, wet plain that didn’t seem to splash as she walked. Daniel, head down, was lost in his own thoughts. What a difference to our usual forays into the galaxy, she thought.

They walked for at least two hours; last time, Daniel had ringed a lot closer to the city. It didn’t seem to be getting much closer but they pressed on. Tenacity endured and eventually they were stood in front of the gates of the city. Frighteningly, they opened as they approached; Daniel drew his beretta, Sam removed the safety on her P90. There was very little cover so they looked at each other and walked in. The gates started to close behind them and they both turned, catching sight of what could have been 3 people in the far distance.

“They got to Harriman,” Daniel said tersely.  
“I told you we’re a team. Vala must have waited for Jack and Teal’c to get back and they just turned round and followed us. What do we do now?”  
“You wait, I go in,” said Daniel.  
“No, I’ve got a better idea, we both wait and we all go in.”  
“No Sam, I am not waiting.”  
“Well in that case, we both go in,” and they walked up the steps and into the convoluted corridors of Celestis.  
“Do you know where we are going?” whispered Sam.  
“Not sure,” was the reply, “but I’ll know when we get there.” However, 15 minutes later and what seemed like hundreds of different corridors, they were totally lost and Daniel was getting more and more edge, angry and obstreperous. Sam walked a few paces behind him as he muttered about flames, priors and Origin. If she was truthful, she was rather scared by the whole episode.

Daniel suddenly came to a halt then turned round and cursed Sam as she barged into him. Stuttering apologies, thinking that sometimes they had had to suppress giggles in similar situations, Sam backed off and followed his gaze to the huge door to their left.  
“This is where they brought me,” he whispered, back to being Daniel. “The flames of enlightenment burned behind the gates inside and that’s where I spoke to the Ori; the flames entered the Doci and he spoke for them…” Daniel’s voice trailed off. The Doci probably no longer existed. Daniel had shown him reality when last there by opening the Ark of the Truth in the Doci’s presence. Now he was worried. What if the Ori were still there and they wanted to use him as their voice? He turned to Sam.

“This is me Sam, Daniel, the real one. I have to go in there but I am not sure what will happen.” He grabbed her shoulders. “You have got to promise me that if they take me over, that you will end it. I cannot be a Prior again and I will not be the voice of the Ori. You do understand, Sam, what I am asking you to do?” She looked away.  
“Say it Sam, you must promise.” Sam looked sadly at Daniel.  
“I don’t know if I can …kill you, Daniel.”  
“You must. Just don’t think of me as Daniel. Remember the threat of Origin, remember Adria. If you have to do this, tell Jack, Teal'c and Vala I loved them as I do you,” and he was through the door, slamming it behind him. Sam ran up to the door, hammering on it, screaming Daniel’s name. Tugging on the handle made no impact; shooting at it made no dents or marks. She grabbed C4 and planted it. Shouting ‘Fire in the hole’, she dived round a corner but after the explosion, the door still stood, firmly shut. As she sank to the floor, tears running down her cheeks, she cursed the Ori, Adria, Daniel and anyone else who came to mind.

Meanwhile, Daniel was unaware of his teammate’s attempts to follow him. He stood in front of the gates, watching the flames burn, not so fiercely or brightly as before, he thought. The symbol of Origin was gone from the wall – that was a good sign. Gritting his teeth, gathering every ounce of courage he had left, Daniel reached for the handles and opened the gates. He walked out on to the balcony, removed his glasses which were steaming up and watched the flames. Not really knowing what else to do he shouted “Hello!” 

Silence, apart from the roaring of the flames. He tried again.

“Hello, my name is Daniel Jackson. I’m a peaceful explorer and I have come to talk to someone about the flames of enlightenment.” Still no answer. He tried again.  
“I was once a Prior and I have returned to seek out more knowledge. I am a scholar, an archaeologist as well as a traveller and I wish to know why I am still associated with this place. I want to learn about what has happened to Origin, to the Orici and how I can break this connection.” He was vaguely aware of what sounded like an explosion.

He sat, cross-legged on the floor, partly because he was tired and partly to seem less threatening.  
“I want to help you, I want to understand,” he pleaded. “I need to know!” or I will go mad, he added to himself. No reply was forthcoming and he had no idea of the passing of time as he sat there, head in hands, despairing. He tried more pleading, he tried threatening. He even got up and tried stamping his foot but to no avail. Nothing was going to talk to him here today.

He walked back through the gates, not shutting them and across to the doors. As he opened them, Sam tumbled into the room.  
“Daniel?” He knelt beside her.  
“It’s me,” he said quietly. “Are you OK?” She nodded the affirmative and they stood up.  
“I couldn’t open the door.”  
“I know.”  
“It wouldn’t blow up.”  
“I’m glad you tried.”  
“Are you really alright?”  
“Yes, there was nothing there except flames.”  
“So what do we do now? You were in there an awfully long time.”  
“I don’t know.”

“We could try the room where I opened the Ark,” Daniel said eventually. “I think I can get there from here. Shall we? Same rules apply though ’cos there’s fire there too!” His watch beeped for the second time on this planet. Sam took off the pack she had just shouldered and retrieved the med kit.  
“Hard to believe we have already been here eight hours, Daniel.”  
“Yeah, how long was I in that room?”  
“Couple of hours at least.”  
“Really?” He was pensive. “Ow!” as Sam injected him. “The others might be here soon, if it was them.”  
“Maybe we should leave some kinda sign?” suggested Sam.  
“Yeah, a big ‘DJ was here’,” said Daniel, voice heavy with sarcasm.  
“OK, Daniel, no need to get antsy with me, it was just a thought.”  
“Maybe that scorch on the door will be a clue. Anyway, Vala knows her way around and Teal’c too; he was there when we opened the Ark. If it is them, they’ll find us,” or you he added under his breath. “Let’s go.”

Shouldering her pack once more, Sam followed Daniel and they did not have to walk far before he stopped. This time, they both went in through the door he opened, into a chamber with a single table and a mirror styled portal shaped as the symbol of Origin. Its surface had contained fire but that was gone. All that could be found was a box, locked by a single mechanism. At first, he wouldn’t pick it up but as he heard voices in the far distance and Vala shouting his name, he decided to because he knew she would and he stuffed it in his pack with a quick “don’t tell anyone till we get back” to Sam.

Vala bundled into the room followed by Jack and Teal’c. She stopped about three feet in front of Daniel.  
“Please, don’t ever do that again Daniel.” Sam ushered the other two men out of the room and they wandered along the corridor.  
“Whatcha doing, Carter?”  
“They need a bit of space, Sir.”  
“I see that. What are you doing? Going off like that without telling me. I thought we were a team? I could have you court martialled for this”  
“We are, Sir, but Daniel asked me to help ..” she trailed off.  
“So you thought you’d just take off, get poor Walter into trouble and worry the rest of us sick?”  
“Yes, Sir.”  
“Well at least you’re honest about it. How is he?”  
“Coping quiet well, actually.”  
“Well, I don’t know if he will be able to cope with her.” He nodded back towards the chamber. “She was frantic and I mean beside herself. If she’d had her way, I wouldn’t even been allowed to go to the bathroom when we got back!”

Meanwhile, frantic Vala was staring at Daniel, waiting for a response. He didn’t know what to say. She opened her mouth twice but nothing came out. Finally she managed “Are you OK?” She stepped forward and reached out, trying awkwardly to put her arms round his waist along with his sack. After a moment’s hesitation, he put his arms round her and she laid her head on his shoulder.  
“I was so worried – why did you do it?” He held her for a few more moments then pushed her gently away.  
“I didn’t want to subject you to this place again. I wanted to come alone but Sam insisted. And I haven’t found any answers.” He hesitated. Trust her; tell her, she wants to help.  
“I .. I found an artefact on the table here, where we opened the Ark. You know what else is odd?” he said as it came to him.  
“Yes,” replied Vala, “Teal’c shot the leg off this table and it’s whole again.” She felt along the far front leg. “Not even a rough spot!” she exclaimed. She shouted for Teal’c. “Come look at this table!”

Teal’c agreed that it was the same one. Jack thought they were mistaken. Sam, by now totally exhausted, just nodded her head and sat on the floor, wondering at her four friends gazing at an innocuous table.

“Well, this is fun!” said Jack, probably to lighten the atmosphere. Daniel glared at him and Teal’c raised an eyebrow. “What do we do now?” Daniel took off his pack again and brought out the box.   
“I think we get back to the SCG and see if we can open this.” He put it back on the table and looked at his friends. They agreed.  
“OK then kids, let’s get moving. We have a long trek ahead of us. Let’s go!” Jack turned on his heels and headed out. Daniel stuffed the box back in his sack and, like the others, resigned himself to the long walk home.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Daniel’s watch beeped but he turned over and went straight back to sleep. He wasn’t even aware of Dr Lam entering the infirmary and injecting him. In the morning, he would be glad they had forced him to sleep in there and not his quarters. He woke with the next reminder and Carolyn was there, syringe in hand.

“Feeling better?” she asked as she introduced the drug into his system.  
“Sorta,” Daniel replied. They had all been exhausted when they arrived back at the SCG and none of them wanted to repeat the debriefing and dressing down General O’Neill had given them, Walter included. However, knowing the team as he did, O’Neill knew they would have done nothing less to help one of their own so there were no disciplinary measures for Sam or Walter. All he asked of them was that they kept him apprised of the situation and didn’t go “jollying off to other worlds!” He had then seen each of them individually and Daniel had cringed when O’Neill had pointed out how hurt and worried he had been when they just took off without a by your leave. “What happened to trust?” he had exclaimed.

Although it was still early, Daniel showered in the infirmary, dressed and headed to his office. Now that his body was settling down to the sedative, he felt almost normal. If he hadn’t been so exhausted and been ordered to the infirmary last night, he would have investigated the box there and then. He brought it out of his pack which some kind soul had thought to deposit by his desk and, having cleared a space, put it on said desk. Hand going to his chin in a pensive move, he realised he hadn’t shaved and made a vow, there and then, that he was not going to until he was himself again.

He sat at his desk, observing the box. After a while, he picked it up and ran his hands over its smooth surface. A cube, about half the size of a shoebox, he examined it closely but could find no clues; there were no etchings, no indentations and, outwardly, no seams. It was made of a metal of some kind and felt similar to the Stargate so he surmised it could be made of naquadah. He used his magnifying glass, firstly around the surfaces of the box and then to investigate the only imperfection on a perfect cube, the locking mechanism. After poking and prodding it for some time, he leaned back, hands behind his head, contemplating the box and going over in his head, all the different ways he had opened artefacts during his career; off-world ones were always harder.

That’s how his team and half of SG2 found him; deciding the analogy of undomesticated equines couldn’t drag Daniel to breakfast, they had all descended on him, hoping the five of them could! He went surprisingly willingly; that might have been due to the need for some coffee and that he had eaten very little the previous day.

Over breakfast, the five of them quietly discussed their next moves. Daniel needed Sam’s and maybe Dr Lee’s help to get into the box. Vala offered her services in that department too. Jack and Teal’c were going to sit down with Daniel and investigate these new gate addresses and try to get some gate time to see if any of them worked. Ferretti was asked to go through the archives looking for any references to a similar box; it was smaller and less ornate than the one Daniel and Bill Lee had found in Latin America but there may be references to one similar. Daniel joined the others as they headed out of the mess and he followed Jack and Teal’c to his office.

Teal’s hadn’t had a chance to look closely at the tablets from Dr Brennan and he sat quietly, alternately fingering them and reading Daniel’s interpretations. Jack was trying hard to listen to Daniel’s reasoning behind his translations of the gate addresses, something he would have normally brushed off but this time he felt Daniel really needed to do this. The biggest mystery at the moment was why these addresses were important.

Footsteps running down the corridor heralded a breathless Vala who was eager to recount their discovery. Ultra violet light had revealed an inscription and they needed Daniel to translate. Although it briefly occurred to them all that she could have just picked up the phone, she had already pulled Daniel out of his seat and was dragging him to the door.

This was a break-through. Although an Ancient dialect, Daniel was able to translate and, after several attempts in both English and Ancient, the box sprang open as he uttered the written words. Vala, peering over his shoulder, likened the tablet inside to a code. Daniel agreed.

“Could it be too much of a coincidence that this relates to the tablets that were found outside DC?” Remembering how Morgan-le-Fay and Oma Desala had aided him before, Daniel thought there was indeed a possibility of a link and that one or other had realised that something was touching their beloved Daniel and this was one way they could help. Holding the tablet, he turned and walked back to his office, the others exchanging glances and then following him.

“This is going to take a while, guys.” Daniel looked up at the other four who were stood around his desk, waiting expectantly. “Go dial some gate addresses if Jack will let you and get the MALP through and I’ll work on this. Go!” he finished as no-one made a move. They all turned to go and Daniel said “Vala, can you help me?” It was a shame he couldn’t see the smile that lit up her face; Sam did and nodded. Vala turned, walked back to the desk and sat down, again without a flippant remark or a sexy innuendo.

Ciphering the code was the hard part but between them they did it, applied it to the bits that had been untranslatable and things were beginning to make sense. Meanwhile, only one gate address had worked and Sam was receiving telemetry when the call came through that Daniel and Vala had something to share. Leaving Walter watching the video from they gathered once again in Daniel’s office.

“The Alterans will not listen and we cannot defeat them. We have hidden the Ark..”  
“Yes, yes, Daniel,” said Jack impatiently. “We know all this.”  
“I know that Jack but it is important. Please listen.” Jack subsided.

“We have hidden, no, buried the Ark below Ortus Mallum and we hope it will reveal the truth should the Alterans become disruptive but if that fails the Clava Thessara Infinitas will lead, no, show the way.” Vala was nearly jumping up and down.  
“You remember my dreams, about the Clava? I told you it was important.” She stood there, hands on hips as Sam gently reminded her that they had been planted into her memory. He continued.

“The Alterans must be stopped if they reach out to other galaxies. They are too strong for us and we must go, no that’s not right… attempt is a better word. We must attempt to reach the paths of enlightenment..”  
“Ascend, you mean,” interrupted Jack.  
“Yes, ascend and then – I can’t quite make this bit out – so something and guide the righteous to help us. Suppose that means us!”  
“Well, you anyway, Danny-boy. You’re the only one who’s ascended here; the rest of us have a long way to go before reaching those infamous paths of enlightenment.”  
“This doesn’t make sense,” continued Daniel, ignoring Jack. “Why should the Ark not have worked? We saw it happen – Teal’c? Vala? What went wrong?”

No one could answer that. In fact, no one really knew what to say next. Jack wanted to know more about the Clava as he had been in Washington at the time of Vala’s implanted dreams. Daniel enlightened him, holding up the image in a tattered, leather bound tome.

“We described The Clava Thessara Infinitis in Vala’s dream as a circular tablet with a square hole in its centre. It had two concentric circles of eight Stargate glyphs each on its face with small inscriptions along the edges of the centre square hole.” No-one had ever been sure whether it was real or not. For a long time, Daniel had been convinced that it was a hoax. He explained that this had all come to light when these false memories had been implanted in Vala (it was her idea) in order to try to catch Adria. Unfortunately, the plan had failed and no trace of the Clava had ever been found.

“Well..” Jack was thinking out loud. “Why don’t we go back to see how Walter’s doing and take a trip to that gate address that worked; has it been given a designation yet?” Sam muttered PRX 168. Daniel muttered something about Jack supposing to be in charge, not gallivanting all over the galaxy. “Come on, guys, we’re adventurers, we’re explorers; this is what we do!” Daniel shrugged his shoulders and looked around at his friends. “Well, anyone got a better idea?” continued Jack. Daniel’s watch beeped.

“Gotta go” he said and slipped out of the room, leaving the others to discuss this next move. They moved back to the gate room, knowing Daniel would meet them there and sat themselves down in the briefing room. They reviewed the tape whilst waiting for O’Neill to finish a call.

Daniel was back as O’Neill finished and Sam quickly summed up what they had seen.  
“The planet has slightly lower but acceptable levels of oxygen compared with Earth, there are hills in the distance, may be mountains, the plain is inter-disbursed with woodland and the only wildlife seen were birds. No sign of human habitation but we don’t always find that around the gate. Can’t see that there’s a problem for a first contact, apart from the massive energy burst needed to get us there, oh, and back!” She looked at the general. “We need to go!” O’Neill looked at Daniel.  
“I need to go,” said Daniel.  
“We all need to go,” the rest chorused, even Teal’s joining in. Daniel sighed but smiled. It was good to have friends.  
“OK, you have a go,” said O’Neill. “How long do you need to prepare?”  
“We’ll take a late afternoon slot, if that’s OK with Daniel,” said Sam, immediately taking charge.  
“Sound’s good,” replied Daniel. “Gives me a few hours to do a little more research and get some personal stuff sorted out.” This raised a few eyebrows; Daniel rarely did personal stuff. O’Neill smiled, guessing what might be coming. Feeling slightly embarrassed by having said that out loud, Daniel quickly changed the subject and they got down to the mundane duty of preparing their lists of ordnance, food and medical supplies. Jack went to sort out the former, Teal’c was charged with getting food as no one trusted Vala to get more than coffee and chocolate and Sam went off to sort out Daniel’s medical supplies and any others they might need.

Vala headed for Daniel’s office once she had organised her side of the supplies. Daniel, looking very serious, sat her down and proceeded to semi-lecture her about her daughter as he knew Vala was feeling very guilty over her part in this. As she protested he continued.  
“Vala, you must accept that Adria may be destroyed or that she is still locked in battle with Morgan-le-Fay. Remember, I’ve seen it. Their ‘life’ goes on for eternity and then some. You’re not going to see her again and I know you are not very maternal towards her but you do care and she’s a great disappointment to you..”  
“Daniel, how dare you insult my daughter!”  
“Vala, listen to me. She’s not really your daughter in the true sense of the word.”  
“You’re right there,” she threw at him, “you need to have sex for that to happen!” and you won’t, she thought.  
“I don’t know why I bother!” Daniel spun round and walked away.  
“Daniel?” a quiet voice said. “I’m sorry.”

She got up and walked towards him, grabbed his left hand and pulled him back. This time, she sat him in the chair and herself on his lap.  
“Look, I’m listening now.”

And she did. She listened while Daniel told her (again) about Nick and his parents and didn’t interrupt. He told her of his present fears and what he had told Sam in Celestis. He explained how he couldn’t possibly be the new vehicle of the Ori and that he wanted her to promise what Sam and Jack, previously, had promised. She blanched.  
“I can’t do that Daniel.”  
“Vala, you’ve got to, I couldn’t live with myself.” She put a finger on his lips.  
“Daniel, it is not coming to that, I will not let it. I will drag you away, I will carry you back to the Stargate but I .. will .. not .. kill .. you!” He didn’t know what to say. She moved her finger and made as though to touch his cheek then changed her mind and put her hands in her lap. Neither knew what to do. Eventually, Daniel spoke.

“I’ve left my house to you,” he said softly.  
“What?” She turned to look at him, her hair swishing round her shoulders. They stared at each other. After what seemed an eternity, she leant forward, kissed him briefly on the forehead and hopped off his lap.  
“That’s very generous of you, Daniel,” she said as she, somewhat agitatedly paced the room, “but it’s not going to come to that and anyway, I don’t want to live in that house without you!” There, I’ve said it, she thought. Daniel just smiled sadly, knowing he couldn’t respond; knowing that, if he survived all this he was going to have to tell her about Jack. But he did stand up and hug her.

“Right, we’ve still got some work to do then,” he said, holding her shoulders and looking straight into her eyes. “Promise me!”  
“All I can say, Daniel, is that I will try, if it really gets that bad, but it won’t. Now, what do you want me to do?”

The moment broken, he started reeling of a list of field equipment he wanted to take and she scuttled around, collecting it together whilst he packed up his laptop and found a few ancient texts he wanted. He found the Flash Pen with all his info about the Clava and tucked it away in his laptop bag, then suggested it was time for a quick coffee before getting themselves ready. Going off world never used to be this difficult, thought Daniel as he went to close his office door after shouldering his pack. He took one last look around, wondering if he would ever come back and then headed after Vala.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

As soon as Daniel stepped through the gate, he felt different. He felt angry, arrogant. Fleeting thoughts like why am here with these people? What am I doing without my staff? were pushed aside although not as successfully as on Earth. Why did I let Vala take that staff to Sam? I should have it now. He turned to confront Sam, to berate her for not bringing it with her but was able to control himself when he saw the faces of his friends. These were the people he spent his time with; these were the people he would give his life for and they theirs, for him. He looked at his watch.

“You OK Daniel?” Sam had seen him look at his watch. “You need another shot? Only half hour to go.”  
“I’ll let you know,” he replied tersely, “but I will try to last the full four hours”

Jack and Teal’c had been scouting their immediate area and were heading back towards the remaining three. With an “OK, let’s head out” from Jack, who had seamlessly stepped back into command of SG1, they all began to trek for the hills in the distance. Daniel kept to himself for 30 minutes then called a halt to allow Sam to dose him. He immediately felt a little better. As he had moved further from the gate, he had been wrestling with what he now thought of as another consciousness inside him. 

Vala put her arm through his and smiled. He tried to respond but felt it probably didn’t come out too well.  
“You feeling OK?” she said quietly. He nodded and after a few seconds removed her arm from his but gave her a quick pat on the shoulder then walked on in silence. She trailed behind him, eventually dropping back to walk with Sam.

The hills began to loom in front of them and signs of habitation in the foothills began to take shape. Unfortunately, the closer they got, the more they took shape as ruins. A temple loomed over the shells of other buildings and Daniel’s eyes lit up. This is what he was meant to do, explore and discover. Seeing that familiar light in his partner’s eyes, Jack immediately sent Daniel and Vala to the temple whilst he, Sam and Teal’c secured the area.

Daniel stood in the entrance to what must have been a magnificent hall. He was thrilled to see the walls covered in Ancient although he was well aware that it was a dialect with which he was not that familiar. This was going to take some time. He moved towards the first panel, running his hands over the ancient symbols, translating as he went. He felt a tap on his shoulder.  
“Give me the camera,” said Vala.  
“It’s in my pack,” he said vaguely, waving his hand in that direction. She retrieved it and stood silently beside him, filming and picking up his translation mutterings as he started at the beginning again. 

They had covered only two small panels when Teal’c appeared in the entrance.  
“Is all well, Daniel Jackson, Vala MalDoran?” He stepped towards them. Daniel was caught up in his usual enthusiasm and Teal’c was glad to witness his old friend in his element. Daniel prattled away to Teal’c about the history of this place that he had discovered so far. Teal’s smiled; he’d missed this Daniel as much as the others had. He just didn’t say so.

When Jack and then Sam arrived five minutes later, secure in the knowledge that they were all safe for the moment, they sat a distance away from Daniel, on the far side and started to prepare some food. Although they all carried MRE’s, Sam had upgraded slightly to Uncle Ben’s rice and Backpackers Pantry meals and was preparing Beef Stroganoff with Wild Forest Mushrooms for them all. Jack was boiling water knowing Daniel would appreciate a coffee.  
They managed to get him to sit down to eat supper with them and it was good to see the old Daniel enthusing about a wall and eager to get back to work. That he did as soon as he had finished eating and carried on until it was too dark to film. He was learning so much about this planet and the people who had lived here, so long ago BUT he had learned absolutely nothing about the Clava. However, he was feeling good and was not aware of the passage of time until his watch beeped. He walked over to Sam as she was removing the med kit from her pack and Vala followed.

“Think it’s about time Vala learnt to do this,” Sam stated.  
“I agree,” said Vala, taking the kit from Sam who proceeded to talk her through the procedure. Daniel sat quietly knowing it was probably a good idea but not quite sure if he wanted reckless Vala sticking a needle in him every four hours. However, she was very gentle and very business-like. He gave her a grin and was rewarded with a big smile. He felt good. He had been mulling over his predicament considerably in spite of translating out loud; Daniel was one of those rare men who could multi-task and he was coming to the conclusion that a Prior and the word of the Ori may not have touched this planet too much. Either that or the Tok’ra medicine was working exceptionally well. He leant back against the wall, putting his hands behind his head, feeling good. Vala snuggled in beside him.

“You’re feeling OK, Daniel, aren’t you?” It was a statement rather than a question. He smiled down at her.  
“I do feel far more normal than I have for weeks,” he said gently. She wanted more but was content to sit quietly with him. They studied the stars, trying to pick out any semblance of similarities to the Earth’s night sky but they were too far away to have anything like a similar pattern in their range; Jack and Teal’c lounged by the fire, Sam taking her turn on watch.

It was a shame the peace didn’t last. Next morning, Vala dropped the camera as Daniel made an expansive gesture and hit her in the eye. Both incidents were accidental but Daniel had flown at her with a high speed, verbal tongue lashing and Vala had run away in floods of tears. Sam and Teal’c went out searching for her as Jack was trying to calm Daniel down.

Luckily, the camera was resilient and only dented. Daniel was reassured but returned to his translation holding the camera himself, refusing to stop to go after Vala. When his watch beeped about half an hour later, he found he was alone. He shrugged and carried on, unaware of the events unfolding away from him.

Vala, stumbling, brushing away tears that wouldn’t stop, had fallen and twisted her ankle. She crawled over to the corner of a nearby ruin, hugged herself and willed the sobs to cease. Life was so unfair. Just when she had thought they were getting somewhere, getting closer, she had to drop his stupid camera and it wasn’t even her fault; he poked me in the eye! Once she had calmed down, she got back up to test her ankle and hobbled back out of the ruin, totally lost. Tentatively calling for SG1 in turn, she tried to find somewhere higher so she could spot the temple. Hobbling towards the hill, she saw a cave, grated shut. She grabbed two bars and shook as hard as she could but they weren’t for moving.

She could hear Sam calling her name in the distance and shouted back. A few minutes later, all four of them were examining the grate over the cave entrance. Sam tried to pick the alien lock, Teal’c fired his staff weapon at it and they all had to jump away as the energy shot rebounded. Jack tried his P90 and all that happened was shots reverberated in the air. Back at the temple, Daniel looked up and listened but heard no further retorts so went back to work, slipping further and further away from himself.

*******

“I don’t care what you’ve found, you all went off and left me and you,” pointing at Vala, “you dropped my camera, fine research assistant you turned out to be.” Thinking Daniel would be thrilled at their find, the four of them looked very deflated. 

“You think I don’t know what’s going on? You all go off and leave me unprotected but don’t worry, I don’t need you.’” He turned and faced them straight on, his right hand fumbling in the air beside him. 

“Where’s my staff?” Horrified, Sam and Vala simultaneously glanced at their watches to see that over an hour had passed since Daniel’s watch must have beeped. “I’ll make you sorry you won’t listen, I will devastate this area and all the surroundings unless you choose the path of enlightenment.” Vala’s hand flew to her mouth in horror as Daniel ranted and raved about Origin, enlightenment and death. She stepped forward to appease him and he backhanded her across the face.

“How dare you approach me, you unworthy creature? Get her out of my sight,” looking at Jack. Sam had taken the opportunity to slink away and retrieve a syringe. She measured a dose and a half, figuring she needed to knock him out for a while, knowing he would be disgusted with himself later.

Getting to Daniel was going to prove difficult. He had picked up a stone and was not letting anyone near him. Sam grabbed her zat. Vala was still crumpled on the floor, not daring to move. Jack was frantically, unsuccessfully, trying to reason with his lover; Teal’c was stood behind Jack, for once looking totally at a loss. With both hands behind her back, Sam approached the turmoil and took over trying to reason with Daniel. Unsuccessful, she waited for an opportunity and zatted him. He sank to his knees, murmuring “Oh, no, not again!” The needle was in him before he hit the ground and they all heaved a sigh of relief.

“We must not leave him alone!” Sam stood up and glared at her friends. They hung their heads, knowing that they had let themselves fall into a pattern of ‘we’ll explore the area whilst Daniel and Vala read the area’ but Vala hadn’t been there. She was now making Daniel comfortable, knowing that the zat would knock him out for a few more minutes and that the drug might inhibit his coming round quickly. She put his head in her lap and looked up.

“What do we do now?” 

Jack, feeling very un-leader-like, suggested coffee and went off to heat water. He knew this was all his fault; he was out of practise with his team and he wasn’t looking after Daniel as he used to; it was so long since they had been off-world together that he found that he was, maybe, standing back too much, afraid to show any affection or too much attention to his lover for fear of discovery. But he had so wanted to come back into the field with SG1. He'd missed them all, not just Daniel, more than he would ever tell anyone whilst he had been in Washington. He'd missed his late night conversations where he would listen to Daniel’s enthusiasm about their latest find and what avenues to explore next while the archaeologist ignored the beer he always took but hardly ever drank. He missed lying next to Daniel, not just in his bed but in a tent or under the stars on an alien world. He missed talking to Daniel, holding him in the afterglow of their lovemaking when they both became unrecognisably sappy! He missed Teal’c stoicism, that quiet, ever present brother who would fight to the death with and for him. He’d missed Sam and her completely foreign scientific gobbledegook. She came into view.

“This is not your fault, Sir.” She knew him too well.  
“I know, but I can’t help feeling it is. I’m out of touch. Maybe we should go back and get Mitchell. I can cope with the Homeworld missions but this, this is more his line these days”  
“What for Sir?” She crouched down, facing him over the burner. “If anyone can fix this, you can and you know it. Would you be happy back on earth knowing Daniel’s out here like this?” Jack knew he wouldn’t have been and shook his head. The water boiled.  
“I’ll do this, Daniel’s stirring – you need to go to him; he’s going to need plenty of reassurance after this and it needs to come from you!”

Glad to be off his knees, Jack walked over to Vala and Daniel, who had sat up. Seeing Jack approach, Daniel buried his head in his hands. Vala moved away, recognising that his team leader needed to do this. Jack sat, uncomfortably, in front of Daniel. He spoke his name softly. Daniel mumbled “Yes?” through his hands.  
“You OK?”  
“What do you think Jack? No, I’m not OK. I thought I was but I was complacent and now look at what I have done. I hit her, didn’t I?” He uncovered his face and looked up, eyes glistening with unshed tears.  
“She’ll understand.”  
“That’s not the point,” and his head went back in his hands.  
“Daniel,” Jack reached over to touch him gently on the shoulder. “Let’s walk.”

They both got up and headed out of the temple. Sam brought coffee as they went, then left them alone. They found a place to sit and concentrated on drinking their beverage.

“We shouldn’t have all left you, Daniel, I’m sorry. We weren’t watching your six; this should never have gone down like this. It won’t happen again. You think Vala’s annoying sometimes? You are going to be so fed up with me before this is over, you’ll be begging for Vala.” He lowered his voice. “You know how worried we all are about you, don’t you? I hate this. I love being back on a mission with you but, when something like this happens, I need to hold you and love you and I can’t.”

Daniel looked up and around, checking they were alone.  
“I know, Jack.”  
“And…?”  
“And I know that you know that I love you but you also know me, I won’t put you in a compromising position Jack, so can we just forget this conversation happened and get back to solving my little problem. This is neither the time nor the place, although I could do with a quick hug.” Jack obliged, very quickly then sat back down.

Daniel paced, gesturing wildly.  
“What is happening to me, Jack? I thought I was much better when we arrived here then I go off on one, again. I can’t take much more of this, Jack, I just want to be me, I just want to be back to being geeky Daniel, stop playing at boy soldier or religious nut.” He hurled the tin mug at the wall and it bounced off, dented beyond use.

“Well, that was grownup, wasn’t it? You gonna hold your breath next?” Daniel sat down sheepishly, deflated.

“OK, have I got your attention now?” Daniel looked up. “As we were about to say before you threw your little hissy fit, we have found a cave. Admittedly we can’t get into it yet because it’s gated but when have we ever let a little thing like that stop us? Remembering that you found the Ark of Truth in a cave, maybe we ought to go and check it out. Did you find any reference to a cave on those walls?”

“I’m not sure … hey, come to think of it, I was just getting to something about a dark passage way but it was only on the last wall I looked at and, to be honest Jack, I don’t remember a lot about that.” Daniel got up. “Come with me.”

Sam and Vala were drinking coffee over by their temporary camp, Teal’c stood nearby. With his usual single-mindedness, Daniel headed straight for the last section of wall that he had been working on and started translating to Jack.

“This part talks about the need for a secret place, a haven, in case the Alterans attack. The whole building starts with the signs of a fraction within the Ancients and a new faction breaking away. By the time we get over here,” he gestured to the previous section, “a group of people .. beings .. have left and are gathering strength. Those remaining were searching for a place to store their knowledge as they were planning to leave.” He turned to Jack. “This could be your cave.”

“That’s more like it, Danny-boy! What say we take a walk and show you?”  
“But you said it was gated?”  
“Yes.”  
“And, presumably, the shots I heard were you trying to strong arm your way in?”  
“Yes.”  
“And you must have failed?”  
“Your point being?”  
“How are we going to get in?”  
“Well, that’s your contribution to the puzzle!” said Jack brightly and smiled at Daniel. Daniel laughed and it was so good to hear.  
“I’m glad you have so much faith in me Jack, but I’m not sure I can live up to it this time. What makes you so sure that I can figure it out?”  
“Because you always do!” Jack threw back over his shoulder as he headed to the others to help pack up. “We’re heading out in 15!”


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

They approached the grate, following Vala’s lead. Jack and Teal’c had had another go at trying to blast their way through but there had been no success. Now it was up to their archaeologist. He stood for at least 5 minutes, taking in the structure of the grate, the shape of the cave entrance and the surrounding rock.

“This could take some time,” he stated as he started running his hands along the rock, attempting to find indentations, secret buttons, codes, anything to help. Vala moved in to take the right hand side as Daniel drifted further left. The other 3, feeling spare partish, moved away and were whispering in quiet voices. Jack and Sam then disappeared in opposite directions to further scout the area whilst Teal’c stood, impassive but ready to spring if necessary.

Two hours later, they were still none the wiser. Daniel had reverted to a quiet, withdrawn figure, occasionally consulting Vala, often looking at his notes and rerunning video from the walls below them. He swept his hand through his short hair for the umpteenth time and absentmindedly rubbed at the stubble on his chin. His head dropped forward, then that was suddenly followed by his body as he fell to his knees and started scraping frantically in the sand and gravel at his feet. Both Vala, who had given up and was resting against a boulder, and Teal’c looked on in astonishment. A few seconds later, Daniel sat up, triumphant. He called them over; inscribed at the base of the grate was a set of Ancient symbols. Asking Vala to get his brush from his pack, he gently moved the larger chunks of stone away.

“Can you translate it, Daniel?” Vala said, in hushed tones. He sat back on his feet.  
“I think so. It says something about the key to the gate and the power within. It also has one of those warnings – you know – “tread here if you dare” type. I would like to spend a bit of time with it though – can you copy it for me? I need to take a walk, stretch my legs, uhh .. you know.”  
“Sure. Go ahead.”

Whilst Daniel took a leak and a bit of a walk, Vala painstakingly copied the inscription. Teal’c hovered close by.  
“Should we get the others back?”  
“Not really necessary just yet – don’t want to put too much pressure on Daniel just at the moment.” She smiled as he came back into view, resisting the temptation to tease him about bodily functions; he was so gullible at times but that was one of the reasons why she loved him.

Teal’c was still pondering the grate and the inscription. “I don’t suppose there will be any chance of the moonlight catching hidden symbols that Daniel Jackson can speak to open the grate?”  
“Unlikely, Teal’c,” said Daniel as he came back into earshot. “That was the Lord of the Rings! I very much doubt we will have anything close to elvish on the walls!” Vala smiled at Daniel’s attempt at a joke. He put his hand out for her piece of paper, gave her a smile as he said thank you and her heart raced.

He sat in the sun with his back against a warm boulder and became engrossed in his task. Vala and Teal’c sat quietly nearby.

Vala had done a very good job of copying the words very neatly leaving space for his translation below and Daniel knew he should tell her so. She had done it so quickly and managed to interpret those that were slightly worn but, as usual, he felt uncomfortable in giving her too much praise in case she started on those awful, flirty little things she did. Mind you, she hadn’t been doing them quite so much recently. Maybe a little praise would make up for all the times recently that he had been so nasty to her, even if he felt it wasn’t really his fault.

“You did good, Vala,” he said as she looked up and he caught her eye. “I think I’ve got the translation done but I am not quite sure what it means. It’s a riddle.”

“Oh, goody, we are pretty adept at solving those!” She scooted over to where Daniel sat and lowered herself to the floor next to him, leaning on his left arm and looking over to see what he had written.

 

They pondered over the phrase as did Teal’c after they repeated the translation to him.

“How are we going to know the names of the stars in the skies here?” Vala questioned, “let alone the ones that are important enough to matter here. Daniel?” Silence. “Daniel?” He suddenly leapt up and went for the video camera.

“Maybe, the ones we need are on the wall.” He struggled with the camera but very quickly decided he needed to go back to the actual wall. His watch beeped and Vala immediately started digging in her pack for the medi-box holding Daniel’s drug. Jack and Sam came back as she finished and, after a quick discussion, it was decided that they would all go back to the temple; after all it was only 10 minutes away.

It didn’t take Daniel too long to find what he thought were names of stars in the sky on this planet. The word  (stars) was a bit of a giveaway on the fifth wall. Vala copied them very carefully as Daniel quickly skimmed the walls for anything he might have missed now he knew the context. He and Vala talked quietly whilst the others, on edge, stood around feeling spare parts.

“I’d forgotten how engrossed he gets when he's working in the field like this,” remarked Jack as Daniel was pointing out a nuance in one of the symbols Vala was copying. “How did Mitchell handle it?”  
“Well Sir, he jumped around a lot, shouted ‘Jackson, get a move on’ or similar but basically he did what we all do, wait, cos he knows Daniel’s the best and he will get the answer.”  
“Fair enough,” returned Jack and then raised his voice, “Jackson, get a move on.” Daniel ignored him.  
“Perhaps it’s because he’s not used to you calling him Jackson,” suggested Sam.  
“Daniel?”  
“Yes, Jack?”  
“Get a move on!”  
“Yes Jack,” and Daniel just carried on as before. Jack sighed.  
“I repeat, I’d forgotten how engrossed he gets.”  
“Indeed”

Ten minutes later they were done and Daniel and Vala started heading back to the grate. They turned round as the others appeared not to have noticed, as they were engrossed in conversation and Daniel said “I thought we were in a hurry!” Eyebrows raised and glances exchanged, the three got off the floor and followed them, knowing it was pointless to comment.

Daniel stood in front of the grate with Vala’s copy of the star names and his translation. He tried speaking them out loud in English and then in Ancient but nothing happened. Jack sighed, lowered himself to lean on a convenient boulder and resigned himself to another long wait.  
“How about some coffee, if we’ve got enough mugs to put it in, that is?” Daniel didn’t rise to the bait; Teal’c started water to boil as Sam routed around in her sack for an extra mug. Daniel and Vala were down on their hands and knees again, clearing more space before the grate.

It was quite a spectacle as the two of them slowly worked their way backwards, uncovering more inscriptions, quite a long way from the grate.  
“This better not be some kinda alien mating ritual,” Jack whispered to Sam. Sam sniggered and Daniel looked up and said “What?”  
“Nothing to worry your head about,” smiled Jack. Daniel looked as though he was about to start sniping at Jack but changed his mind and continued brushing away at the ground. A few minutes later, both he and Vala sat back on their heels and grinned at each other.  
“See, told you!” whispered Jack, again to Sam who gave him a black look. He raised his voice.  
“So, kids, what have you found now?”  
“These inscriptions here include the six names we found on the wall so now we have to decide what to do with them.” Vala had been studying them and suddenly, reaching past Daniel where necessary, hit the six names with her finger in quick succession.  
“Don’t do that,” was Daniel’s automatic reaction but then he thought about it. “Try it whilst I say the names – remember the ‘calling’ part of the translation.” They tried it but nothing. They tried English and Ancient, they tried both alphabetically, backwards, increasing and decreasing in number of letters.

“We could be here for days,” sighed Jack. “How many possible combinations, Carter?  
“Six factorial, Sir. How about a coffee?”  
“Thanks. How many is that?”  
“Seven hundred and twenty, Sir.” He sighed again.  
“Daniel, isn’t there some clue about how to use these?”  
“Nope.”  
“So, are you doing this logically?” Everyone stared at Jack.  
“What?”  
“Are you doing this logically?” Daniel looked at Sam.  
“Yes, I heard that, it’s just that it sounded like it came from Jack not you Sam.”  
“Ha, ha, very funny. Have some caffeine, you obviously need it – take mine since you don’t have a mug anymore – remind me why that is? Oh yes, we had a little hissy fit didn’t we?”  
“Are you going to dine out on that for long?” retorted Daniel.  
“Like you wouldn’t believe! Mitchell‘ll love it!” Daniel groaned, snatched Jack’s coffee, grabbed one for Vala and sat back down near the inscriptions. Teal’c and Sam shared a grin as they began making more coffee and a snack – it was good to hear them sniping at each other again.

Vala had been very quiet whilst the interchange had gone on; now she tugged at Daniel’s sleeve to get his attention.  
“What if we try saying ‘calling’ and then the stars’ names?” she whispered.  
“Why are you whispering?” Daniel whispered back.  
“Cos it might be a stupid idea but it does say the calling of the stars.”  
“What, you mean like ‘calling Andromeda’ and doing that for all the six?”  
“Well, it’s worth a try.” Although himself feeling a little stupid, he tried it, ignoring Jack’s “What the hell are you doing Daniel?”

It didn’t work first time in Ancient or English or even Goa’uld but, touching the correct symbol at the correct time of calling in Ancient was a resounding success as the grate pushed back on its left hand side hinges. They all just gaped till Jack threw a small pebble at Daniel saying “I knew you would do it, Spacemonkey!”  
“It was Vala’s idea!” he said proudly, giving her a quick hug.  
“Well, well done Spacepirate!” exclaimed Jack. They all grinned.

Teal’c moved quickly, placing the largest boulder he could find in the entrance against the now folded back grating. They all finished their food as quickly as they could without indigestion then packed up ready to move into the cave. Teal’c, exploring ahead, found that the cave very quickly turned away from the light so torches and spare batteries were made ready, with easy access to other possible requirements like P90’s, rope and chalk markers.

Having packed up there was nothing much left to do but see what the cave held for them!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The cave was cold, damp and very quickly became very dark. Jack took point with Teal’c, Sam bringing up the rear. They had gone about 500 yards in twisting tunnels when they came across another grating but it was quickly opened by Daniel repeating the calling of the stars. This happened several times until, about a mile in, the tunnel suddenly widened out into a large, empty cavern.

Daniel, Vala and Teal’c looked at each other and said “Avalon”. Whilst fighting the Ori, they had gone to Glastonbury, been ringed under the Tor and had to complete several challenges before the treasure, but more importantly, a book and an Ancient piece of technology had been made visible to them. They spread out, searching the cavern for anything.

It was Vala who spotted the vague markings on the cave wall, way over to the left and it wasn’t long till Sam found some as well, exactly opposite, on their right. Daniel, in a quandary as to which way to go first, tripped over and landed awkwardly on his left arm; everyone heard the bone snap, followed by a muffled scream. That was immediately followed by Vala yelling “Daniel” and rushing to him, the rest not far behind. Daniel was sitting up; Vala scooted in behind him, legs either side of his body so that he could lean back on her. Sam immediately began first aid as Jack started laying into Daniel about being so clumsy.

“What the hell do you think you were doing, Daniel?” at the same time as  
“Are you alright, Daniel Jackson?” from Teal’c.  
“How do you think he is?” answered Jack before Daniel could even open his mouth, “What were you doing?” this again to Daniel. “You think we haven’t got enough problems being stuck on PX whatever and being a mile or so underground without having to deal with a broken arm, especially on you? This really is a way to take your enthusiasm to the limit.” He rounded on Vala.  
“Can’t you keep him under control?”

Daniel and Vala sat there, open mouthed. Sam rounded on Jack, telling him, in no uncertain terms, to go someplace else if he couldn’t be helpful and anyway, when had he ever been able to control Daniel? Jack started to say something about insubordination from the lower ranks but decided against it and turned away. What no-one saw were the tears in his eyes that he was frantically trying to blink away. He couldn’t remember a mission that had been so fraught and stressful in a long time and his worries about his lover and best friend were really getting to him.

Ignoring the vague whimperings that were coming from Daniel, he walked over to the markings on the left and Teal’c followed.  
“O’Neill, are you alright?”  
“Fine” snapped Jack.  
“Then why did you berate Daniel Jackson?”  
“Cos he’s a stupid, clumsy geek who is worrying me silly! Oh, and forget the stupid – you can’t really say that about someone who’s got 3 PhD’s and speaks at least 23 languages, can you?” If Teal’c could have seen Jack’s face, he would have observed the attempt at a smile which quickly turned to a grimace as Daniel screamed.

“O’Neill, we all make mistakes, Daniel Jackson, quite frequently but I wouldn’t say your track record was that good either!”  
“Who taught you to use that phrasing?”  
“Your TV is a wealth of knowledge as I have told you before, O’Neill. Now, I think you need to go and apologise to Daniel Jackson and Vala Mal Doran before we have any more incidents; we cannot afford to be at loggerheads!”  
“Loggerheads, Teal’c? That sure is a new one for you!”  
“Indeed.”

Meanwhile, Sam had manipulated Daniel’s arm, hence the scream and splinted it with the wonderful self inflating splints that Janet Fraiser (deceased), former Chief Medical Officer of the SGC, had refined for field wear. She dosed him up with Tylenol, promising something stronger if that did not ease the pain. Daniel declined a sling for the moment; he knew it would hamper his progress. He was beginning to feel a bit agitated again, too and glanced at his watch.

“It must be close to four hours,” he muttered. “Can I have shot before we start work as I really don’t think you want me antsy with this?” He waved his broken arm a little. Sam and Vala simultaneously checked their watches. There was still nearly an hour to go.

“Not just yet,” Vala said quietly. “Don’t want to start lessening the effect just yet, do you?” Daniel looked as though he was about to let loose a verbal tirade but obviously thought better of it, sighed deeply and nodded OK. He felt odd, tired, morose; he just wanted to give up and rest but he knew his friends were depending on him in as much as he was depending on them to get him out of this mess. Vala sensed the fight go out of him and wrapped him closer in her arms.

“Daniel, you need to rest. Just lean back and shut your eyes for a few minutes – I’m fine, Teal’c’s just putting a boulder behind me so we can rest comfortably for a while. Sam’ll make you a hot drink, not coffee, soup’d be better,” as an aside to Sam, “then we can carry on.” The fact that Daniel didn’t protest made them all realise how the last few weeks had taken its toll on their friend, culminating in the fracture.

Jack returned and apologised but, not knowing what else to do, wandered off again followed by Teal’c. Sam walked a distance away before setting water to boil and making packet soup up rather than the sometimes awful stuff found in the MRE’s. This left Daniel and Vala out of earshot if they whispered.

“I don’t deserve you as a friend,” Daniel muttered. “I’ve been so horrid in the past and I don’t mean in the last few weeks either. I was so angry with you over those damn bracelets that I never really gave you a chance after that.”

“That’s not true Daniel and you know it. You looked after me when I got burnt in Ver Eger. You brought me back from the Ori ship. You hunted high and low for me when the Trust got me and I lost my memory; Sam told me you hardly slept and you faced me when I had a gun pointed at you.” A sob caught in her throat and the next was said to herself. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, my Daniel. You have got to get through this!” She placed a kiss on the top of his head and sighed. Then she felt his good hand rest on hers where it held him.

Sam brought some vegetable soup over for both of them and called Jack and Teal’c back to join them. The five of them sat around for half an hour, discussing what had happened so far and what their next step would be. Outside on planet PRX 168, the sun was setting; inside, Daniel was getting another dose of Tok’ra medicine and thought he was preparing to get to work again when the girls returned in a few minutes.

Sam and Vala had gone their separate ways, each to a set of symbols; they were to make copies and bring them back to Daniel. Jack and Teal’c continued their exploration of the cavern, hoping they might find more clues. As Daniel tried desperately to stay awake, he knew he was fighting a losing battle and, by the time Vala returned, he had curled up with his broken arm close to his chest, protected. Vala dug in his pack for his sleeping bag and spread it over him, trying gently to tuck it underneath him to stop the cold seeping up from the ground. She then sat down to wait for the others to return.

Sam, meanwhile, was struggling to make good copies of the symbols. Not as used to doing this as Vala was, she found the whole thing very frustrating until she realised that they were slightly indented and started making rubbings of them. She was surprised to see Daniel asleep when she returned but knew it would only be doing him good and she sat down besides Vala to compare notes under the torchlight. They found that they were exactly the same! Looking through Daniel’s journal, Vala found enough to start translating the Ancient – it was yet another riddle.

“The missing letter is M,” said Sam, looking over her shoulder. “Many, maybe and may, oh and a J on the second line for just”  
“So, what does it mean?” Vala read it out loud.

“The stone on its own is just one stone of many. The two that are near maybe those some may fear.”

“No idea,” said Sam. “Maybe we need to get the General and Teal’c back; at least we can then tell them what we are looking for.” She clicked her radio and quietly called them back to her. She and Vala moved away from the sleeping Daniel so as not to disturb him.

A quiet discussion ensued between the four of them with occasional glances at the sleeping form of their friend. Teal’c had spotted a single, standing stone in the opposite corner to where they had first entered the cavern so he, with Sam and Jack, went off to investigate. Vala curled up behind Daniel, hoping to give him some body warmth; at least, that’s what she told herself! When the others returned, she was fast asleep. Having found what they were looking for, the other three decided to have a few hours rest before waking Daniel – they needed him for the next challenge.

When Daniel’s watch beeped a few hours later, all five came awake. Injection was done, coffee made and drunk along with a MRE, though both Vala and Sam noticed how little Daniel consumed. But he was up and ready to go, more colour to his face and, after some more Tylenol, declaring he was fit to travel! Carrying a pack put strain on his arm but after Jack, to Daniel’s dismay, relieved him of the heavy archaeological tools with a “I have no idea why you even bring these things!” he felt far more comfortable. Knowing that they might need to move quickly, they needed to take everything with them.

What Daniel found when they got to the other side of the cavern were three standing stones, a large one about six feet from the wall and two smaller ones another six feet away, about five feet apart. He reached out to touch the smaller two, grimacing as he stretched his left arm. He wasn’t afraid and knew so but would this be the right thing to do? He started by saying that he was not afraid in English then Ancient, then changed it to a definite, “I do not fear you” in both languages. He then tried reciting:  
“The stone on its own is just one stone of many. The two that are near maybe those some may fear.” He followed it with “I do not fear you”, trying it in both English and Ancient.

He then tried various other combinations. Jack was heard to sigh, Vala was restless; Sam and Teal’c watched.

Daniel then tried it in the first person, in Ancient, translation being:  
“You are the stone on its own and are just one stone of many and the two that are near I do not fear.” There was a loud crash, light fizzled everywhere and a huge part of the wall they were facing started to rise. At first, no-one noticed that Daniel had fallen and he was getting himself up before Teal’c got there to help him. Although there had been electricity in the air, it had just stunned him.

Jack and Sam were attempting to put huge boulders in the space where the wall had been and Teal’c went to help, leaving Daniel in the capable hands of Vala. Remembering how they had been trapped under Glastonbury as the walls slid back down and the roof started to drop, they were taking no chances this time. Fire pits had lit as they did at Glastonbury and, in the centre of the room was an Ancient control panel, a device the Ancients used to control certain technologies.  
The device looked like a large table made of stone. On the upper side were several large stone tablets, each containing Ancient writings. Daniel knew that by pressing these tablets in a certain order, combination or depth, the associated technologies could be activated and controlled.

“Right guys, once again, this is going to take some time.” Daniel walked into the room and stood before the Ancient Control Pedestal. “Can you look for any clues please? Vala, can you help me?”

They spent the next few hours trying to solve the latest puzzle. Eventually, Daniel decided it was time to try pushing the interface in varying sequences. Nothing had been found on the walls and he and Vala had translated as much as they could. They started with combinations of star names, then with the Ancient letters for stones then Daniel thought about the one and two stones. With combinations of one or two pushes, maybe something would ‘click’. Nothing seemed to be working until Daniel got everyone together and they pushed the interfaces for the six stars all at once. There was a whirr and a grind as a panel opened in the wall, revealing yet more Ancient symbols. Daniel sighed and stepped over to it, immediately pressing the six star symbols with six fingers. The panel slid open and Daniel reached inside for what looked remarkable like the Clava Thessara Infinitas but as he picked it up, the rock wall began to descend, just the way it did in Glastonbury.

“Run,” screamed Sam, grabbing Daniel’s pack and pushing Vala to the doorway. Teal’c grabbed the remaining packs and Jack went for Daniel who, as usual, was totally oblivious to what was going on.

“Daniel, we gotta get outta here,” yelled Jack as he ran towards him and grabbed him by the collar, practically dragging him, ignoring the screeches from Daniel as he frantically hung on to the tablet with his broken arm.  
“Jack, stop! I’m hurting. I’ll manage.” The dropping panel scraped on the rocks attempting to block it and there were massive cracking sounds as they shattered into thousands of pieces. The panel closed, Vala, Sam, Teal’c and the packs on one side, Daniel and Jack with a tablet on the other.

“Dammit, Daniel,” cried Jack.  
“That’s right, blame me as usual.” Daniel rounded on Jack. “I’ve got a broken arm, in case you have forgotten and although I don’t normally fuss, you grabbing me hurt!! and why is it my fault? You always use any excuse to blame me.” Jack backed away, hands held up in supplication as Daniel continued to rant and rave, doing what he did best, using a hundred words where two would do.

When Daniel had finally run out of disparaging comments, he calmly walked back to the panel and put what he thought might be the Clava Thessara Infinitas back behind the panel. The panel closed and the wall rose. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief but Vala didn’t do her usual “Daniel” and run to his side. This led Jack to believe that they had heard some of Daniel’s rant and realised that time was running out on the last Tok’ra dose.

Daniel turned to all of them, obviously needing a great deal of will power to stop “going off on one”. His eyes were pleading as he fought to say gently and quietly that they could not take the Clava Thessara Infinitas with them but would need an exact copy then he wanted to get out of there. No-one wanted to upset him so, against everyone’s better judgement, they agreed and Vala and Daniel retrieved the Clava, the wall slid down and they started making an intricate copy. Jack, Sam and Teal’c meanwhile were trying to work out a way of getting the tablet out. They were surprised that Daniel was prepared to leave it behind; the ultimate artefact collector not wanting to take the Ancient’s key to infinite treasure was a surprise and one they put down to the Ori influence in him. They split up to do further reconnaissance.

Vala dosed him when his watch beeped a little later and the real Daniel started to re-emerge again. She wondered how much longer he could take this. They were close to finishing up when the others returned, no wiser as to how to get out with the Clava.

“We’re done,” said Daniel, ten minutes later. “Time to go.”  
“Are you sure Daniel?” Jack asked. Daniel shrugged.  
“Can’t see we have any other options; I vote we go back outside and I try and make sense of this.” He gestured at their involved drawing. “Then we should know if it is necessary to come in all guns blazing to retrieve the actual Clava.”  
“Sounds like a plan,” stated Jack.  
“Shouldn’t we go back to the SGC and get Daniel’s arm set properly?” and Daniel replied that tomorrow was early enough so they gathered their kit and headed out towards the fresh air.

* * * * * *

Daniel couldn’t sleep. Jack was snoring, so was Teal’c; Sam, on watch, was nowhere to be seen and Vala had rolled away from him so he quietly slipped out of his sleeping bag, put his boots on, grabbed his notes and camera and wandered inside the cave entrance. He wasn’t really sure why he was going back to the recess in the wall but something was pulling him there. He shone his torch onto the tablet, wondering if it really was the Clava Thessara Infinitas or just another part of the mysteries the Ancients seemed to habitually construct. He took the tablet out of the recess, only vaguely aware that the rock wall had closed again and studied it carefully. He had no idea how time was passing but at one point decided to take the tablet over to the Ancient’s control device and he discovered a slot like hole into which the tablet slid perfectly. The air around him shimmered as a ghostly image began to take a human like form. Daniel stood, entranced.

“Your curiousity has got the better of you again, Daniel Jackson,” said Morgan–le–Fey. “Why did you come back?”  
“I’m not sure,” replied Daniel. “It just seemed the right thing to do and now that you are here, you can help me understand what I am supposed to do and how I can get out of this mess.”  
“Well, it certainly is a mess now. You have called me here and I had to let Adria go to answer your summons.” Daniel put his face in his hands as much as his splint would allow as her words sank in.  
“So you are telling me that I have just let Adria loose on the universe again?”  
“I am afraid so,” she replied. Daniel sank to the floor, defeated. Minutes ticked by. Morgan hovered, waiting.

“Why me?” Daniel moaned.  
“It is your destiny,” replied Morgan “and you must accept that. It is unfortunate that she has somehow awakened a mutated Prior virus within you that she must have planted when she made you a Prior. I was aware of her lack of attention a while back and thought I was winning but she came back as strong as ever and now she has escaped. You must go after her as only she can restore your health and well-being; so, for you, Daniel Jackson, this could all turn to your advantage. However, it will not necessarily be for the good of the Universe!”

Despite his horror at knowing he had unleashed the Orici, there was a part of him that was relieved that, at last, he knew what was happening to him and that there was possibly a cure. However, he needed more information from Morgan.

“So are the Ancients going to just leave us to it again or are we going to get some help this time?”  
“There’s not a great deal that I can do at the moment...”  
“No, I am not going to accept this! You forget, I’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt; you know you can help and they will all just pull you away if you go too far, now tell me, is this the Clava Thessara Infinitas?”  
“It is and it will work the control device as you have found in that it has pulled an Ancient to you and, as you and I are now inexorably linked, it was me you pulled here. I am supposed to protect the information unless a crisis is on hand.”  
“And this isn’t one?” Daniel was pacing now, hands talking as much as his voice. “Morgan, we, no, OK, I’ve just released the Orici back on the Universe and this isn’t a crisis? What is to you? A nuclear bomb? The death of the Pegasus Galaxy?”

“Now, Daniel, calm down. I am doing as much as I can.”  
“And that’s not very much! Where has Adria gone? What do I do with the information from the Clava Thessara Infinitas? How do we defeat the remnants of the Ori? Is it going to be full scale war again?”  
“You need to translate the Clava Thessara Infinitas in conjunction with the tablets that were found in ....” Morgan vanished, leaving a trail of white energy as the Ancients removed her from Daniel’s presence. He sighed, sitting back down in despair. Why did they do that?

A few minutes later his watched beeped. Not knowing what else to do, he returned the tablet to its recess, the rock wall slid up and he began the mile long trek back to the surface.

He was about half way back when he saw light coming towards him and quickly doused his own torch, leaning into the side of the cave as much as possible. It was Jack and Vala.

“What the hell are you doing, Daniel?” Jack sounded very pissed.  
“Umm, not sure you really wanna know,” mumbled Daniel in reply.  
“I am very pissed off with you, Dr Jackson.”  
“I guessed.” They stared at each other, Vala standing to the right of Jack, watching the exchange.  
“So whatya been doing? You better have a good explanation.”  
“Not now, Jack!”  
“Daniel!”  
“I said not now!”  
“Daniel!”  
“Piss off, Jack. Quit hassling me.”  
“Daniel.”  
“Jack?” They stared each other out.

“Stop it, the pair of you, you sound like 5 year olds.” Vala stepped in between them, suggesting they get back to the surface, adding “then you can continue your slanging match while I get back to sleep! Oh, and Daniel, you need another injection”  
“I think that much is pretty obvious,” snarled Jack as he turned round and headed back the way he had come, mumbling “I don’t know why I bother!”  
“What did you say?”  
“Daniel, leave it,” Vala pleaded.  
“No, what did you say, Jack?”  
“I said I don’t know why I bother. It’s always the same with you, never listen to a word I say, don’t follow orders, go running off on your own with not a by your leave – Daniel, we’re a team; that means we do things together, not wander off as a whim takes us in a strange world.” He stormed off along the boulder littered passageway, Daniel shouting after him to go to hell.

“All the way to the surface they screamed at each other; they must have raked up all the previous arguments from the last few years.” Vala dropped on to the rock next to Sam who was brewing up. Although still early, no-one felt like going back to sleep although Daniel was looking pretty exhausted, especially after his sedative and had started complaining (unlike him) about his arm. Jack had gone walkabout, still smarting from the increasingly derogatory comments he and Daniel had exchanged. Teal’c, as usual, was stood, impassive, taking it all in and inwardly fretting about the whole mission.

Breakfast was awkward. Jack fuming, Vala, Teal’c and Sam fretting and Daniel looking like a thundercloud. He was dreading telling everyone what had happened but knew it was going to happen in not many more minutes. He drained the last of his coffee and asked Sam if there was any more. She got up quietly, retrieved his mug and made more as he tried a little to protest at being waited on. Jack glared at him and Daniel knew it was time to explain. He opened his mouth but Jack got there first.

“Well, Daniel, are you going to explain your little expedition to the rest of your so called team? I suppose I should be relieved to find that it’s not just my orders you don’t follow!” Daniel had the grace to hang his head, thinking of what he had promised.  
“I think you had better shackle me, Jack,” he said grimly and Vala immediately volunteered to be the ‘shackle-e’. Jack was a little taken aback.  
“What have you done now, Daniel?”  
“You are so not going to want to know!” he retorted.  
“Try us.” Daniel suddenly deflated.  
“You better all sit down and listen carefully as your errant archaeologist has done it again, this time with no-one else’s help.” He looked at Vala; after all, Adria was her daughter and he was about to bad-mouth her yet again.

He took a deep breath.

“I went back to look at the tablet again. Morgan-le-Fay appeared and talked to me.” He dried up. Vala looked quizzically at Daniel.  
“If Morgan-le-Fay appeared to you, what has happened to Adria?” Daniel swallowed, his head dropping forward.  
“Umm ... she escaped.” Silence. Daniel slowly raised his head to meet four incredulous pairs of eyes staring him out.  
“Soooo..” drawled Jack. “Let’s get this straight. This Morgan whatist appears to you, she’s an Ancient right? And she gives you lots of useful help but lets Adria go free?”  
“Umm ... sorta,” mumbled Daniel.  
“Whatdya mean, sorta?”  
“Well she did tell me that I should read the translation from the Clava Thessara Infinitas in conjunction with the tablets…” He trailed off.  
“Which tablets, Daniel?” Jack stared him down.  
“Umm.. the tablets.”  
“Daniel? Which ones?”  
“Jack?”  
“Daniel?” The battle of wills was looking like returning so Vala interrupted, suggesting the DC tablets.  
“Daniel?” This from Jack, again.  
“Umm... I expect those are the ones she meant.”  
“You mean she didn’t actually tell you?”  
“Uh no, she got pulled away before she could finish her sentence.” He could see Jack was about to explode.  
“Daniel, I do not know how you stayed sane when you ascended. I’m angry beyond speechless.” He got up and walked away.  
“Plan B?” muttered Daniel.  
Jack was back, ten minutes later, still looking like a thundercloud. Most of their gear was packed up; the girls were sat watching the sun rise and Teal’c had taken a walk. Daniel looked up from his journal as a shadow fell over him.  
“Jack?”  
“Daniel.”  
“I’m sorry, Jack, I did it again, didn’t I?”  
“You sure did, Spacemonkey.” Jack grinned and Daniel heaved a sigh of relief at the use of the endearment. Jack sat down, patting Daniel surreptitiously on the knee.  
“What else did our illustrious Ancient have to say?”  
“Not a lot but she did tell me that Adria is the only one who can solve my problem so, if I look at this in a purely selfish way, although I am not overjoyed that the Orici is on the loose, at least I know what I have to do to remove this curse!” He spat the last word out.  
“So, what do we do now?” In some ways, Jack was raring to go; he’d missed out on most of the action in the war against the Ori due to his promotion to Washington and, as much as this mission was as frustrating as hell, it felt good to be back in the field, or the universe!

“I suggest, with respect to my esteemed leader,” Daniel said, tongue in cheek, “that we return to Stargate Command and let me work for a few days, then we can decide what to do next. We will have to get a move on though as it won’t be long until I reach the end of my toleration levels of the sedative, according to Tok’ra estimates. Oh, and by the way, I apologise for arguing and going off on my own, again, Jack. I am serious about you keeping more of an eye on me – I just seem to have even more determination than usual.” Jack sniggered.

“How about we find another pair of Kor’mak bracelets for you and Vala? Or maybe you and I could wear them?” Daniel just raised an eyebrow, aping Teal’c.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Ferretti ordered the iris opened as SG1 transmitted their GDO code and the wormhole spewed forth the 5 travellers. Debriefing and medical checks over, Daniel and Vala headed for what had become their office and got straight to work. Spreading all ten sheets of paper representing the DC tablets and adding the Clava one to it, Daniel walked back and forth along the table looking for patterns. Vala sat quietly on her chair knowing how Daniel worked; the intuitive leaps of logic he made defied definition. His ability to think outside the box was legendary and if anyone was going to solve this puzzle, it was Daniel Jackson.

After about half an hour, he sat down and started scribbling in a journal. Vala still kept quiet, knowing he would ask for her help when necessary. She loved to watch Daniel at work; his levels of concentration were intense. This was one of the many reasons why Jack worried about his space monkey – World War III could be going on around Daniel and he would still be translating!

When Daniel’s watch beeped, Vala rummaged in her sack, gave him his injection but used the break to drag him off to the commissary for food. They had both drunk far too much coffee in the last couple of hours and he definitely needed a break. Trying to get him to talk about what he had discovered so far was more difficult than usual. Daniel was struggling to find a link between the DC tablets and the Clava and was wondering if he was right in expecting those tablets to be the ones Morgan had referred to whilst ‘visiting’.

They sat quietly at their usual table, undisturbed as there were very few people around. Vala didn’t broach the subject of what had been going through Daniel’s head until they were eating jello. Wanting to know how he was getting on, she was surprised when he replied that he did not want to discuss it.  
“And why not, darling?” pouted Vala, not wanting to be left out of the loop.  
“My ideas are not formulated yet,” was his reply.  
“But you usually discuss it with me if you are struggling,” she said.  
“I am NOT struggling,” replied Daniel, rather loudly. “If I don’t want to discuss this with you yet, I am sure not going to be pressurised into it!”  
“OK, OK,” Vala subsided and there was an awkward silence. Daniel finished his jello and got up. Vala grabbed her unfinished bowl (and the extra one she had!) and trailed after him.  
“You don’t have to come with me,” he threw over his shoulder and, despite her protests, ignored her all the way back to the office. He sat back down at his desk and zoned her presence out.

Vala sat quietly again, reading a magazine but surreptitiously glancing at Daniel almost every minute. When, about an hour or so later, he rolled his neck and groaned, she got up and stood behind him, gently massaging his shoulders as she had done many times before. When he made no protest, she dug deeper and he sighed as some of the tension left him. After about 15 minutes of Daniel not working and just enjoying her touch, she slid her hands down his chest and whispered in his ear, “I can think of other ways that we might release more of your tension,” and she nibbled his earlobe. Daniel shot out of his seat. Once again, she had lured him into a false sense of security and then blatantly played on that weakness. He rounded on her.

“You’re doing it again, Vala. When will you learn that I have had enough of your flirtations and innuendos? I am fed up with the whole flirty sexual thing that you do; I know you do it so you can have a laugh at my expense. Don't you pretend it's anything else! But why, when you don’t have an audience?” This last almost spat at Vala as he was so disappointed in her. 

“Vala, I just don’t want you here just now. I thought we were beyond this but it is obvious you are never going to take me seriously so just leave me alone.” He glared at her, sat down and returned to work. Vala was speechless. She knew, as soon as the words had come out of her mouth that they were wrong. Now her only defence was attack.

“You really think I want to take you to my bed? You arrogant, self-righteous hypocrite. Why on earth, or in the galaxy for that matter, should I settle for Doctor pompous Jackson when I could have any young guy on base! What have you got that they haven’t? Absolutely nothing. Why I hang around with you is beyond me and I don’t think I want to do it anymore.” With that she flounced out of the office, ignoring Daniel’s retort that sounded like good riddance, as tears were coursing down her cheeks.

“I’ve really blown it now,” she sniffed as she hurried back to her quarters. She collapsed on her bed, sobbing uncontrollably, going over and over their conversation until she fell asleep.

Daniel meanwhile was at a loss as to what to do. He knew harsh words had been exchanged that were not meant to be but time was precious and he had to solve this problem. Sometime soon he was going to have to sit her down and make her understand that he was not interested sexually; he already had a partner though goodness knows whether he would still have one after the way he and Jack had been behaving to each other recently. He tried to work but, after about half an hour, dialled Vala’s room, hoping they could talk. When there was no answer, in typical Dr Jackson fashion, he filed the incident away and made himself concentrate. He either didn’t hear his watch beep or chose to ignore it and time continued, way past the requisite time for his medication.

As late afternoon became early evening, Daniel forgot about Vala. He forgot about many things as the drugs wore off and the alter ego began to kick in. Although he wasn’t aware, his facial skin was beginning to change. One of the prior symbols he had worn all those months ago had returned and others were fading in. He became edgy and lost his concentration. He felt something was missing but couldn’t put his finger on it for quite some time. It wasn’t until his hand had started groping out to the side, as it had done whilst off world, that he realised his staff was missing. Somehow, he dredged up from his memories the finding of the broken part of a staff and that he had sent it to Sam. He had to have it, but realised she wouldn’t hand it over easily. 

His Beretta had been taken back to the armoury and he knew he couldn’t sign out a zat so he looked around for a deterrent. His gaze fell on his paper knife and he stuffed it into his pocket after donning his jacket; it would have to do. He took off to Sam’s lab. 

Sam was in her lab, calibrating the radiation readings she had taken off world. Standard procedure, she was nearly finished and was preparing to go home. She heard someone approach and was surprised to see Daniel when she looked up.

“Hi, Daniel how’s the translating coming?” she asked pleasantly.  
“I need to see the part of the Prior’s staff,” he said with no preamble. Warning bells went off in Sam’s head.  
“Why do you need that, Daniel? I can’t see how that is relevant.”  
“Surely it’s up to me to decide what is relevant to my investigation?” The warning bells started clanging!  
“It’s locked away in the artefact’s level” she replied, stalling for time but knowing it was in the cupboard behind her.  
“Sam, you know that’s not true, I can sense it here.” Daniel’s expression and tone of voice was alien to her and she started to wish someone would hurry up and appear.

Jack meanwhile was looking for Daniel. When he couldn’t find him in his office, quarters or Vala’s quarters (and she wasn’t answering either), he started to worry. He picked up a nearby phone and dialled through to Sam’s lab, more worried when no one answered. Daniel and Sam were at a bit of a standoff and the phone had been ignored.

As Jack approached the lab he could hear Daniel and Sam arguing in very different tones to those they usually used. He stuck his head round the door to see the pair, Daniel with his back to him. Sam caught his eye and Jack could see the panic in it, backed away and tore off to the armoury, signing out a zat.

On his return, he bumped into a pale faced Vala, wandering around with a med kit looking for Daniel. They sped off to Sam’s lab and, with no preamble, Jack called to get Daniel’s attention from the door and zatted him; Vala rushed in with the sedative and Sam grabbed the phone, calling for medical help.

Daniel was returning to normal even as they all approached the infirmary and he came round a few minutes later. Carolyn threw them all out so she could examine Daniel.

Jack, meanwhile rounded on Vala.  
“You volunteered, in your own words, to be the shackle-ee; what happened?”  
Vala hung her head.  
“We argued, he upset me, I went to my quarters.”  
“And?” She shrugged, looking pained. Sam came to the rescue.  
“I’ll take Vala to the commissary and meet you all there, then we can sort this out.” They moved out leaving Jack to wait for Daniel.

Jack waited until Carolyn had finished then pulled up a chair besides Daniel.  
“You OK, Danny boy?” he asked gently. Unlike the usual “I’m fine,” Daniel shook his head.  
“Wanna share?” asked Jack, to which Daniel glared. Jack waited and, a few moments later, Daniel sighed and began to finally let some of the mounting fear out.

He explained that he felt that he was trapped in his own body, probably the way one would feel if used by the Goa’uld as a host. He was very frustrated that he could not control his actions and often did not know what was happening. For once Jack listened quietly without interrupting, wondering how long Daniel had had to cope with all this. He was angry with Vala who wouldn’t settle for the friendship he offered without the constant effort to get in his pants, especially as he knew he couldn’t tell her about Jack and him. One of the questions on Jack’s mind was why the pair of them argued so much. Then he thought about his own connection with Daniel. They constantly bickered but that had made no difference to their friendship or to their now consummated relationship.

Jack suddenly realised that Daniel had stopped talking and was looking at him, knowing he wasn’t really listening properly.  
“You’re not listening, are you Jack?”  
“Sorry Daniel, just wondering why you and Vala spend your time arguing.”  
“What, you mean like we do?”  
“Yeah, but there’s more to your arguments; there’s a real undertone to it that I can’t decipher. Should I be worried?”  
“No, never Jack but it’s hard as she sees me as available and I can’t tell her I’m taken!”  
“OK, but I am telling you now, you and Vala have got to stop these massive arguments otherwise she is not coming on this next mission!”  
“Jack!”  
“Daniel?”  
“She has worked so hard on this too, you know!”  
“Well, go sort it out then!”  
“But she told me she didn’t want to ‘hang out’ with me anymore!”  
“Daniel! You sound like a high school kid. Has Carolyn cleared you?” Daniel nodded. “So go find Vala; Sam took her to the commissary. Go!”

Daniel went reluctantly, trailed by Jack, just to make sure he went! Sam and Vala were sat at the usual table. Jack pushed Daniel forward; Vala ignored him and Daniel said nothing. Impasse!!

“Right you two, Daniel, Vala, come with me. That’s an order.” Vala stood and reluctantly followed Jack. Daniel was immobile.  
“Daniel, NOW!” Daniel jumped and he too reluctantly followed Jack. Teal’c and Sam came behind.

There was a small conference room nearby and they followed Jack into it.  
“Right, Daniel, you and Vala are staying here, Teal’c stand guard outside please.” He ushered Sam and Teal’c out before Daniel could move and blocked the door.  
“Sorry, Vala, but unless you and Daniel sort out at least some of your differences, you are not coming on the next mission!” Jack left before either could retort.

Neither looked at each other; Vala walked to the far end of the table, turned a chair to face the wall and sat down, completely ignoring Daniel. In fact, she was desperately trying to halt the tears which had started flooding again. Daniel took a few steps towards her but her body language was so dismissive that he really didn’t know what to say. He started with an apology but got no response then went on to explain that Jack was very serious about her not coming in search of Adria. Val sniffed.  
“She’s my daughter! You are not going to search for her without me!”  
“So, we have got to talk!” Daniel moved towards her, intending to lean nonchalantly against the wall although offering his own defensive position, arms wrapped round himself. However, he managed to catch a glimpse of Vala before she realised how close he was and was stunned by the tears he saw coursing down her face. He crouched down beside her.

“Vala? Look at me.” When she failed to turn towards him, he reached out for her far cheek and, with a little pressure, she turned round to gaze into those wonderful blue eyes. Daniel gathered her to him as he stood, holding her tight while she sobbed, stroking her hair and trying not to think.

A few minutes later, she drew back from him although Daniel didn’t let her go completely until she literally pulled away.  
“You’re very good at taking advantage of me when I am down, aren’t you Daniel?” Vala spat out. Daniel was stunned. Vala had gone from damsel in distress to vixen in no time. “Can you only relate to those you can comfort from their anguish? Can you only deal with pain and suffering? It‘s the only time you are ever nice to me; why do you hate me so?” she shouted. Outside, Teal’c flinched. In the room, Daniel, with his three PhD’s (one in Linguistics!) had no idea how to deal with this complicated woman. Looking like a Valkyrie, she glared at Daniel then turned and headed for the door.

“Vala, if you go now, you’re off SG1.”  
“So it’s blackmail now, Daniel? No come back and talk about it this time?” 

He’d had enough! He took the few paces across the room to her, grabbed her by the shoulders to make her look at him.  
“Please Vala, come and sit down and I’ll try to tell you something that is very hard for me to do.” She reluctantly walked back from the door to her previous seat and sat down after Daniel moved it to face the chair he had pulled up. Crossing both arms and legs, Vala glared at him. Daniel swallowed, took a deep breath and mentally crossed his fingers.

“You remember when we first met on the Prometheus,” he began. She glared at him. He swallowed again.  
“You remember when we .. um .. kissed then?” No response. Vala glared even more. Now it was Daniel’s turn to get angry.  
“Can you at least try to respond without glaring at me?” he said as he got up and started to pace, Daniel style. “This is not easy for me you know!”  
“Who said I was going to make this easy?”  
“Vala, we have got to sort this out!”  
“Why won’t you answer my question?”  
“I am trying to!” yelled Daniel, then immediately apologised for shouting. Teal’c meanwhile, winced again and wished his friends would get themselves sorted out!  
“When Sha’re died, I thought I had lost my world. I never thought I would or could love again. Then, a few years ago, I realised I’d fallen in love with someone else.”  
“So, what about Ke’ra and Shyla, Hathor even and Reese, a robot no less – yes, I’ve read the reports, heard Jack tease you about a girl on every planet. Do you mean to tell me they were lies?”  
“No, but in my own defence, Hathor was the only one I um .. had sex with and that was totally against my will. I hated myself for weeks after that. I can’t be with you Vala, there’s no easy way to say this; I have a partner.” Vala just looked at Daniel. She really didn’t know what to say after that confession.

“Look Vala, there really isn’t time for us to sort this out now. You are angry and I am not myself but we really need to talk otherwise Jack won’t let you come on the mission and I know that’s not fair to you. After all, Adria is your daughter. The last few arguments that we have had, have been brutal. We have both been nasty and said things we didn’t mean, well, at least I have and I hope you didn’t mean everything you said.”  
“And if I did?” Daniel sighed and sat down.  
“Then you are not the woman I thought was my friend.” He looked up to see the tears flowing on Vala again. Standing again, he held out his arms. Vala stood there for what seemed forever to Daniel, then slowly moved into his embrace, allowing him to comfort her.

There was a knock on the door as it opened and Jack said “Are you kids done yet?” Spotting them in each other’s arms, he mumbled something like “it looks like they’re sorted” and made to leave. Daniel called him back as they drew apart.  
“Jack, we are both going on the mission tomorrow and we are going to try to stop arguing but, no, we are not ‘sorted’ as you so kindly put it. However, we will not jeopardise anyone and that’s all you need to know right now!”

“Ooookaaay..” drawled Jack. “Daniel?”  
“Yes, Jack?”  
“Briefing at 0800 hours; try to get some sleep before then.” Daniel grimaced. At least that meant Jack was not going to give him a hard time after finding him hugging Vala. At that moment, he hated the military and DADT; it had caused both Jack and him so many problems. For the first time, he really wished Jack would retire as he so obviously hated working in Washington. He would then stop going off world so much and take a consultancy role and maybe they could actually live in the same house.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The ‘Kawoosh’ of the gate never ceased to be a wonder, however many times Daniel went to step through the wormhole. Although the MALP always preceded them, they never really knew where they were going and what they were stepping into. This planet was lush; bright green trees with yellow trunks surrounded the Stargate and the sky was an eerie purple glow with two suns. It sounded like birds twittering in the vegetation but there was no movement as they cautiously made their way down the steps to the yellow grass. In front of them, an avenue of trees stretched into the distant horizon, the trunks straight and tall. Jack had sent Carter left and Teal’c right as he scanned forwards, always attentive.

Daniel, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, collapsed rather that sat down on the bottom step, head in his hands.  
“She’s here,” he mumbled as Vala turned and sat quickly beside him, trying to get him to look up.

The previous 0800 mission was a bust. But they had finally found a gate address, much later in the following evening after Jack and Daniel had had a long, healing conversation and personal time out on the mountain. They had been given a gate time for late afternoon, the following day. Already over a week in from the start of administering the Tok’ra sedative, this mission was of the utmost importance for Daniel’s sake but also so Adria did not have time to start regrouping her armies. O’Neill has gone as far as trying to recall Mitchell but he was unavailable for the next three days; he would be sent back to the SGC then.

Having secured the immediate area, Jack hurried back to his friend knowing that it was only moral support he could lend. Jack was finding this “attack” on Daniel harder and harder to deal with; how much more shit was the poor geek going to have to deal with? As Daniel pulled himself together and stood up, shaking off Vala’s attempts to aid him, Jack revised the poor geek to capable warrior; Daniel was the strongest guy he had ever known and had certainly left the labels of geek, dweeb or nerd far behind. Knowing Daniel would expect it, he only asked a cursory “Are you OK?” got the stock answer “I’m fine” and gave the order to move out, sending Teal’c on point and taking their six himself.

The avenue seemed endless as over three hours went by. Jack began to worry about their distance from the gate; Daniel was beginning to labour in his strides and Vala had started fussing him, receiving a few sharp rebukes. It was time for a break and a little refreshment. Jack scouted the area, Sam started coffee but Daniel sat with his head in his hands again, apart from the rest of them. Having satisfied himself there was no immediate danger, Teal’c took over on patrol and Jack approached Daniel.

“How’s it going, Spacemonkey?” Daniel grimaced at the nickname but didn’t call Jack on it; in fact, secretly he liked the endearments Jack used. He lifted his head out of his hands and tried to smile and Jack slung his arm around Daniel’s shoulders, giving him a quick hug.

“We’ll get there!” he whispered and Daniel turned to look at him, eyes so bleak and sorrowful that Jack renewed the hug. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Vala and hoped that she wasn’t putting two and two together. These two guys had been through thick and thin together, had laughed, cried, argued and fought, always together and always for each other even if it seemed, from the outside, that things were not always well between them. Closer than brothers, Daniel was well aware of how much he needed Jack and just how much he had missed him over the last few years. Now he needed to tell him but just whispered “I’m glad you’re here, Jack” and leant into Jack’s shoulder, closing his eyes and relaxing somewhat.

Jack made the decision to camp at that spot for the night, sensing Daniel was all in. Coffee was made, MRE’s heated and everyone gathered around to try to enjoy the evening meal that, as always, tasted like chicken! Daniel perked up enough after his four hourly dose to enjoy animated conversation for a while but, as the suns set and the darkness swiftly took hold, perimeter watches were allocated, Teal’c unusually first (that was often Daniel’s spot) and the other four lay down near the fire, tucked cosily in warm sleeping bags. These days, they rarely bothered with tents unless they knew it would be cold at night. Daniel, snuggled down between Jack and Vala with an anxious Sam to the right of Jack, felt safe but very, very tired and drifted quickly into an uneasy, restless sleep.

He dreamed the same dreams as before, violent, realistic dreams which he couldn’t get out of, however hard he tried. Once again he saw Adria, wasteland and Priors everywhere. He saw the Supergate, only this time it was different, formed, open, ships streaming through, Adria proudly on the prow of the lead one, arms held high, surrounded by ascended light. She was calling to him and he was fighting against responding, even in sleep. Twisting and turning, he disturbed Jack who just reached out and held him, muttering soothing words as Daniel gradually settled again. It was Sam’s turn to feel the pain as she too had disturbed and witnessed the tenderness in the General’s manner with her companion. At that moment she knew for sure that, whatever she and Jack might have had and she might still wish for, it was never going to touch the connection between these two extraordinary men. She sighed, Jack turned his head and smiled but his attention refocused on Daniel and Sam drifted off again.

Teal’c, still patrolling the perimeter, way past the end of his watch, was brought up suddenly when a twig cracked to his left. Jack stirred and opened his eyes slightly, scanning the area in his line of sight. Moving slowly but surely, making out he was going for a call of nature, he signalled to Teal’c and they circled around towards the noise.

Waiting in the undergrowth were at least twenty of Adria’s favoured army; their task was simple – get Dr Jackson, alive at all costs and deliver him to her. Eliminate the rest if necessary, except maybe her mother who they could bring along as well. She might be useful as a hold over Daniel.

Adria had tracked SG1 since their arrival on the planet. She knew they would come but all that concerned her was getting her hands on Dr Jackson, quite literally. Now that she was ascended, it was difficult to spawn her successor as Orici but, as Daniel had been ascended, her plans included procreation with said doctor if at all possible to ensure an offspring to lead her armies. The fact that he was what earthlings called hot, a babe, made her even more determined; she was going to take him from his team but ensure the cooperation of both with their lives.

*********

Jack knew they were surrounded and was really angry that he had been complacent enough to let it happen. He had spotted at least four soldiers and Teal’c had indicated that he knew the position of five. Sam indicated she could see another four. Daniel and Vala were still fast asleep so he strolled back and made to get back into his sleeping bag, deliberately disturbing them and then whispering, “We’ve got company”. Carter rolled over and stretched, discreetly reaching for her P90 as Daniel quietly woke Vala and they followed Sam’s example.

They weren’t vulnerable to the same extent once awake. Teal’c slowly circled back to join them and, as he did, Jack gave the word and they took up defensive positions which were followed quickly by shots from the undergrowth.

“Live ammo” hissed Jack, warning all that they were susceptible as they frantically defended their position. Slowly, the soldiers, prior-like in appearance, became visible as they edged forward. Jack’s original guesstimate was way out as over fifty soldiers emerged from the undergrowth. Taking a tactical decision and not wanting anyone injured, Jack ordered SG1 to put down their weapons and surrender. They would regroup later when odds were better.

The five of them were herded together, weapons collected and hands secured behind them. Four soldiers were allocated to each member of SG1 and walked at the four points of the compass, guarding their captive. Few words were spoken even though Daniel had tried his peaceful explorers’ speech but they knew it would be useless. One by one, the groups of 5 people were walked about half a mile before rings activated and they found themselves in a large hall, Adria hovering over the ornate throne close to the west wall. She dismissed the soldiers after commanding them to untie Daniel and Vala.

Vala, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, looked scornfully at her so-called daughter. “Adria, as your mother…” she began but was hurled against the back wall by an energy bolt and lay crumpled on the floor. Daniel tried to run to her and was similarly hit. Even shackled, Jack, Teal’c and Sam tried to rush Adria and just disappeared.

Adria waited till Daniel and Vala recovered. Daniel crawled over to Vala, feeling for his glasses and desperate to see that she was OK. It took a few minutes before she came round, her body mass being so much smaller than his she had absorbed more of the shock. They clung together, neither daring to speak as yet. 

Adria floated towards them and seemed to circle them even though they leaned on the wall. Surrounded by light, an eerie glow suffused both Daniel and Vala and they shivered together as it got colder and colder.

“What’s she doing?” whispered Vala through chattering teeth; Daniel shook his head, still too dazed and cold to be thinking properly other than worrying where the others were.

“Mother, you disappoint me. Have you no words to say of greeting to your daughter?”  
“You’re no daughter of mine,” Vala spat. “Where are our friends and what are you doing to us?” Adria stopped her circling and hovered in front of Vala.  
“Your friends will be no more. I have had them transported to a large, underground cave, far beneath the surface of this planet with no egress. They will die with the week.” Daniel stirred and slowly, painfully rose.

“What do you want, Adria? What can we give you for the freedom of our friends?” Vala tugged on Daniel’s pants but he ignored her. His aim was to try to establish a dialogue with the ascended Orici in the hope of negotiating the release of Jack, Sam and Teal’c.

“Why, you, my dear Dr Jackson; but you failed me once so why should I negotiate with you? I can take what I want. You and I, my dear Daniel, are going to make the ultimate Orici. With me ascended and you having been so, our child will be all powerful and she will be beautiful beyond compare with the blending of our looks. You are very beautiful for a male of your species and, as I have noted before, I can quite understand why my mother has given up her roguish ways, as infatuated of you that she is. However, she will not ever have you but I will and if you do not cooperate, I will torture her in ways that you cannot even conceive! Say your ‘Goodbyes’, we leave.” 

Daniel turned to look at Vala but was whisked away by some type of transporter before he had time to open his mouth and found he was in a large bed chamber with the biggest bed he had ever seen. Understanding that she wanted her wicked way with him and having been in similar situations before, Daniel knew it would probably be hopeless to resist. He just had to keep his wits about him and try for leverage to save his friends. Anyway, how did one procreate with an ascending being? He was not even sure if it was possible. He’d certainly never tried out sex whilst he’d been ascended. 

He paced the room but could find no doors. The large windows on one side had no catches and the chair he threw at them just bounced back, nearly hitting him in the jaw.

“You cannot leave” said Adria as she materialised into the room, hovering just above the floor. “You will never leave without my permission. You are mine now. We will find a way to procreate, even if I have to kill you so that you ascend again but I will have my child. We will start by trying the traditional method – strip and get into bed.”

Daniel folded his arms and peered at her over his glasses.  
“Can’t say I like your bedside manner,” he scoffed. She glowered and the next thing he knew, she had picked him up and flung him on the bed, somehow.  
“Undress,” she commanded.  
“And what do I get out of it?” Daniel asked.  
“A daughter, my pleasure, maybe even a bit of pleasure of your own!”  
“How do I know you will keep Vala safe?”  
“I can bring her here to watch!”  
“That won’t be necessary.” Daniel sat up and moved to the side of the bed.  
“What about Jack, Sam and Teal’c?”  
“I’ve told you, they are lost to you. You have no need to concern yourself about them further. Give yourself to me and together we will have everything that we have ever desired.”

Daniel, ever the clever negotiator, saw an opening here.  
“Why don’t you tell me of your desires, Adria? I have absolutely no idea what you want – enlighten me.”  
“So clever yet so naïve. You think to distract me with words? Come Daniel, you know better than that. I will not share my plans, my ideals with you, ever. I will get what I desire; your desires will focus on me and the physical need you will have for me, nothing more. You are mine; you will not leave here unless I expressly desire it. Now, we are to have intercourse so that I may be blessed with child.”  
“Over my dead body” stormed Daniel as he tried and failed to attack Adria. She just appeared in another part of the room.  
“That would be unfortunate but it can be arranged. General O’Neill would be an adequate substitute should I have to dispose of you but I feel that your attributes complement mine far better than his do.”

“I see you need to think about this a little. I am going to visit my mother then I may bring her to see you. Maybe she can persuade you to be a little more cooperative.” Adria disappeared, leaving Daniel shivering, angry and scared. Realising just how cold he was, he pulled a cover from the bed, wrapped it round himself and sat in the corner furthest from the monstrosity of furniture, trying to get his head straight. Worrying about his teammates and friends was counter-productive, he knew that but it was very difficult to stop.

As he got warmer, his brain functions seemed to get back into gear. He knew not to worry about Jack, Sam, and Teal’c. For now, there was nothing he could do to help them. His main concern was Vala. Adria obviously thought she had all the time in the world to deal with him as it had taken very little resistance to send her on her way. However, what was she doing with Vala?

Little did Daniel know that Vala was now with the other three. Having been so uncooperative, Adria had decided she wasn’t worth the hassle. She had stunned her, badly and just thrown her in the rings to meet the others. What she didn’t think of was that the other three might see Vala’s arrival and now know of the presence of rings. They had been unconscious when ‘delivered’ to the cave. 

She left Daniel overnight. He slept fitfully, curled in the corner of the room, wrapped in the cover. His dreams were, once again, violent, looming and horrific, occasionally interrupted by gentle words hinting that he could stop all this by consenting to Adria. She continued to try to brainwash Daniel through the night; she just had no idea how strong the archaeologist was.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Jack was coming to; his head felt as though an army was trampling on it and he couldn’t move his left arm. He soon discovered it was only numb because he had been lying on it. As sore as it was, he didn’t think anything was broken, sprained maybe but he could cope with that. He sat up gingerly, trying to focus his eyes on something or someone but the darkness was absolute. Feeling around him, the texture seemed of granite or something similar, quite rough and sharp. He patted the rest of his body down, finding, thank goodness, his lighter and Swiss Army knife. Moving stealthy now, he silently explored the immediate vicinity until coming in contact with cloth. He started away and a groan sounded from the lump before him.

“Carter?” he hissed and received another groan as an answer. He felt around further and came into contact with what he presumed was Teal’c. As both came to, Jack decided to risk touching the light on his watch. After a few minutes, he used the flame of his lighter – they were in a large cavern of a type, strewn with boulders and, quite handily, what appeared to be driftwood. Teal’c, now conscious, seemed far more together than either Jack or Sam so the former handed over his lighter, letting the big guy search for a defensive position. They were settled within fifteen minutes where they thought they could defend themselves but lay quietly for what seemed like hours, assessing any sounds. They rested, basically recovering from whatever pummelling they had been subjected to by Adria’s guards. None of them were aware of what happened after they were spirited away from Daniel and Vala.

Eventually, Jack declared it was safe-ish and decided to risk trying to make a fire – they weren’t going anywhere without light. He crawled around fetching smaller sticks whilst Teal’c built a base for the fire. Scraps of paper from various pockets became the kindling and, after one abortive attempt, the twigs flared and the fire caught. The next hour or so was spent collecting as much wood as possible; they couldn’t afford to let the fire go out as there was no more kindling without using parts of their clothing and that would not be satisfactory.

The next problem was sustenance. Leaving Sam as fire keeper, Jack and Teal'c set out in search of food and water, finding a small spring of the former but nothing to eat. The water was warm and Jack postulated that they must be fairly deep underground. Finding their way back on minimum flashes from Jack’s lighter, they discussed sanitary conditions and tried to think of a way to hold water that would allow it to cool somewhat. They were arguing about whether to move camp over near the water supply and how to take fire with them when a familiar sound erupted nearby and rings deposited a heap of Vala.

Hopes rose, especially when Vala groaned. She had been beaten by Adria – she winced as Jack and Sam helped her up – but her main story of woe was the fact that Adria had hacked off most of her raven tresses. Vala was devastated and all she could think of was how Daniel wouldn’t love her anymore. In the end, Sam slapped her; Vala was not usually hysterical and they all wondered just what daughter had done to mother to upset her to this extent.

Getting Vala back to herself was, however, fairly straightforward. She apologised profusely for ‘losing it’, demanded a hug from Muscles (Teal’c) then turned, matter of factly and said  
“So where are the ring controls?”

They all clamoured to tell her that they didn’t even know there were rings and all four spread out to search for hidden panels and crystal controls. No one had mentioned Daniel. It wasn’t that he had been forgotten, it was just pragmatism. They had to get out of there before they could help their friend.

Three hours later, knees sore, fingers raw, they regrouped, none the wiser. Very cold, except for Vala whose turn it had been on fire duty, they huddled round the flames at a loss. They were all beginning to feel very hungry, the warm water was not thirst quenching or particularly palatable, being laden with mineral salts and spirits couldn’t sink much lower. Jack had called a temporary halt to the search in order to do some serious, positive thinking but even he was finding it difficult to raise hopes.

Jack had been able to think of little else but Daniel. The others were the same but Jack was fretting badly. It was a long time since he had been on missions with his archaeologist and he couldn’t help but wonder still why it was Daniel that attracted all the crap in the Universe. He remembered when Daniel had let himself be made a prior by Adria, had gained her trust only to renege on her at the last minute to enable Stargate Command to take her into custody. Then she had ascended, continued to try to extend her power over the whole of whatever there was out there in space until the Ark of Truth had been found and Daniel, with Vala, Sam, Mitchell and Teal’c, had neutralised her followers. This had been when Morgan-le-Fay had engaged Adria in eternal battle and they had gone full circle. Somehow, Daniel always seemed to be in the thick of things. When this was over, Jack was dragging him to Washington as his civilian consultant and never letting him through the Stargate again!

Realising he had been day-dreaming as Sam spoke to him, Jack shook his head and tried to clear his mind which had a rather unlikely picture of Daniel chained to his desk, sat cross-legged at his feet, drinking coffee, safe from the world. Take the wings from a butterfly and it isn’t whole; Daniel wouldn’t be Daniel if he couldn’t explore, negotiate in one of his 23 plus languages, have tales to tell and risks to take. He sighed and gave the others his complete attention.

They decided to rest for four hours though no-one slept well. Jack took over from the stoic Teal’c about two hours into the downtime, unable to sleep. They resumed the search with aching hearts and stomachs, with less enthusiasm than before and with little hope.

*********

Daniel woke with a thick head and watery eyes; he felt like he’d run a marathon overnight so didn’t move immediately. Adria watched as he gradually came to, then sent a retainer to encourage him to shower. She continued to watch as Daniel refused to move despite the poor girl’s insistence. After half an hour, she had the girl removed, sent in six of her soldiers who dragged Daniel to the shower, eventually stripped him and returned him, naked, to the huge bed. He scrambled under the remaining covers, curled up into a ball and attempted to waylay his tears of humiliation. 

She came to him, much later, giving him time to stew on his predicament. Gloriously naked, surrounded by glowing light, she attempted to have intercourse with Daniel, but, from cajoling to rape, from pleading to demanding, from threatening to violence she failed. Daniel had shut himself down. He was well aware it was over twenty four hours since his last dose of sedative and that he had been fighting to maintain control over the prior entity within but had also realised that, on coming into Adria’s presence, it’s hold had seemed to diminish. Now, as he lay there, oblivious to Adria’s tantrums and beseeching, he felt empty, bereft and nauseous. He could almost feel his hold on reality slipping away, the way it had when he had been infected by Machello’s bugs, Goa’uld killers extraordinaire. Only this time, he wasn’t going insane, he was just going, feeling his life draining away into the sheets.

Adria gave up in disgust. Her robes suddenly appeared on her body and she leaned down to whisper in Daniel’s ear,  
“I will have you. My next course of action will be to kill you to help you ascend, then we will try again. Is it really worth dying, again?” Daniel was so far inside himself, he barely heard her, his body shutting down anyway. In the back of his mind he realised that Adria must have neutralised the sentient mind that had plagued him for the last few weeks and that without it, he had no will to live in this present predicament. The only other time that he felt this way was when he had been thrown into the Ori prison on Celestis thinking Teal’c dead and Vala converted to Origin by her daughter. He’d given up for a short time then and that was how it was now; he would rather die than give Adria a child. Heaven knows what audacious powers a child conceived by them would have. He thought of Shifu, Sha’re and Apophis’s child, the Harcesis, his stepson, how he had all the memories of the Goa’uld and had needed Oma Desala to care for him to stop him going mad or bad. He remembered the dream Shifu had given him.

“Dreams teach,” Shifu had said and Daniel had learned a heavy lesson about the Goa’uld and how their minds would always be bad. In his dream, Daniel, the quiet, strong, moralistic Daniel, had become power crazy and blown up Moscow, mainly because he could! He’d sent Teal’c on a mission which he knew would cause the big guy’s demise, he’d had Sam imprisoned and Jack sidelined. Daniel had been in control, dictator of America and had the potential to equal Linea as the Destroyer of Worlds.

Daniel had learned a hard lesson then and he was determined that Adria would never get those memories. He drifted back into uneasy slumber, tossing and turning, alternatively hot and cold.

She left him alone for another day; she didn’t quite know why but sensed he would be more pliable if left to ‘stew’! She had no idea of the mental decline Daniel was suffering. Having been ‘whumped’ for the majority of his life, he’d had enough. His friends were gone. There seemed no hope of escape. He shut down.

*********

Morgan-le-Fay looked down on the sleeping Daniel, unshed tears glistening in her eyes. It was abhorrent to her how Daniel had shut himself away. Last time, it had been difficult to rouse him in the Celestis cell but now, there was just no response. The slight rise and fall of the cover was the only indication he was still alive. Eventually, she could stand the lack of response no longer and disappeared, retreating to gather her strength and explore options that would help these intrepid explorers who, in turn, would hopefully save the Universe.

Meanwhile, over two earth days had passed and the rest of SG1 were despairing. Tired, hungry and despondent, they sat huddled round the fire, dozing, occasionally exchanging a word or two. It was Sam who first noticed the vague increase in light and sat up from where she was half asleep. She raised her left arm and pointed, croaking,

“General, look!” Jack slowly opened his eyes, blinking at nothing.  
Gradually, the form of Morgan-le-Fay materialised in front of them. Unable to help Daniel, she would do her best to help the others so they could help him. There was one way out of their cave prison; it would be long and arduous but if she could just point them in the right direction, she was sure that they were resourceful enough to make it. Even Morgan had no way to operate the rings without the controlling mechanism so they needed to find it, hidden further in the depths of the system, part of the original Ancients’ hidden laboratory.

She hovered for another minute or so, then made her way to the hidden ramp that led to the myriad of passages below. She could start them off but they would need to search high and low for the controller that she knew was there, hidden amongst many treasures of the Ancients.

No one had moved; she drifted back then moved again. She knew, even if she tried, she couldn’t speak to them; she would be dragged away before saying more than a few words and it was more important to set SG1 on their way, give them hope.

Sam had led back down again, eyes closed. Jack eyed Morgan suspiciously, kicked Vala and said “Vala, who’s this?” Vala turned away from Jack, ignored him. Morgan returned for the third time and Jack dragged himself to his feet.

“Who are you? Are you real? Am I hallucinating?” Morgan beckoned then pointed in the direction of the hidden ramp. Sam was sat up now, poking Vala and trying to pull Teal’c out of his meditation; she was warily eying the apparition. Morgan continued to beckon and point, praying no other Ancient was aware that she was there. She moved in the direction she wanted them to travel, constantly beckoning. As Vala became aware of what was going on, her eyes widened.   
“That’s Morgan-le-Fay,” she whispered. “I saw her on Atlantis when Daniel...” she hesitated as she mentioned his name then continued, “when Daniel and I were accessing the Ancients’ database. I think she wants us to follow her.”

“So why doesn’t she damn well tell us so,” growled Jack.  
“She’s probably scared the others will pull her away. They did that when she was about to tell Daniel the most important fact in our search for the Ark,” retorted Vala. “I think she can be trusted. Anyway, what have we got to lose? We’re doing nothing here and we are letting Daniel down, not trying to escape to help him.” Vala put her face in her hands, the tears that had threatened for the last two earth days now escaping. She sniffled. “What are we waiting for, an engraved invitation?”

They rose slowly, gathered the makeshift torches they had fashioned from wood and spare items of clothing, thrust two into the fire to catch and readied to follow Morgan. She led them to the hidden entrance which had been missed and indicated they should go down. They looked at Jack. He shrugged his shoulders.  
“Whatever!” he stated and took point, leading them downwards with absolutely no idea where they were going and why.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Five hours had passed. SG1 went deeper and deeper into the bowels of the planet. It got warmer. They got hungrier and thirstier. They had methodically explored every side passage, nook and cranny and had found nothing until this latest cavern where stood another of those Ancient devices where a certain combination of keys unlocked a puzzle. Teal’c, who had been even quieter than usual, recognised it as similar to the one he and Cameron Mitchell had to solve under Glastonbury. However, nobody’s brain was really engaged and the five of them stood around in the half-light of their last but one torch.

“Carter?” Jack ventured. She looked blankly at him, hopelessly lost.  
“I don’t know, sir,” she replied, leaning over the puzzle, trying to connect with the problem. “Perhaps if you gave me time to think?”  
“We haven’t got time!” Jack almost screamed at her. She moved back, instinctively and looked very shaken. Jack, immediately contrite, apologised but grabbed Sam by the shoulders.  
“Sam, we have got to get out of here. Our lives depend on it; Daniel needs us, the universe may depend on us. No pressure but…” he trailed off, spun away and retreated leaving the other three to figure it out. “We need Daniel,” he muttered as he slunk away, tears pouring unchecked down his cheeks. “I need Daniel.”

Meanwhile, Morgan returned to Daniel’s side. He lay in exactly the same place, breathing shallowly. He was deathly pale but this time his eyes were wide, unseeing. Unshed tears hung on his lashes but he rarely blinked. Calling on all her powers, she attempted to insinuate herself into Daniel’s mind, only possible because he had been ascended and because they had now this close link, re-forged in the caves on PRX 168. She travelled through the synapses of the brain, repairing the neural network that had been damaged by Adria’s latent virus that she had just inhibited and then try to stimulate Daniel into some kind of response. She reversed the depolarisation in his neurons that Adria had inflicted, that had caused a refractory period (during which the neuron is unable to fire) to try to restart his highly individual thought patterns. She agitated his blood in order to increase circulation and warm him up.

Daniel began to stir, reluctantly. His brain functions returning, he couldn’t fight the thoughts that now trickled into his increasing consciousness. As he became aware of his surroundings, he also became aware of a presence but it didn’t have the malevolence of Adria. He gradually began to surface and the colour returned to his face, the blue to his eyes. The more awake he became, the more aware he was of this other presence and eventually identified it as Morgan-le-Fay. He sat up, looking for her.

Morgan gradually emerged from Daniel’s body and materialised in the form he was used to; the link they now had was stronger than before and she attempted to communicate on a cerebral level. He heard her voice in his head, although he could not make out what she was saying. All he knew was that his friends were still alive and that Morgan was doing her best to help without conspicuous interfering. Daniel himself had interfered and that was one of the reasons why he was back in the land of the living rather than still ascended. 

Finally awake and fully aware, Daniel let Morgan know he was OK by getting up and ripping sheeting into a form of toga; however desperate he was to get out of there, going naked would be his absolute last option.

How Morgan did it, he will never know but the door the soldiers had used materialised in the wall of the bed chamber. He walked over and cautiously opened it, leaned out to check there was no one around and stealthily headed right, no idea why.

The building was unlike any he had ever seen. The walls were smooth, doors and corridors appeared to just suddenly be there. It was almost as if the structure was opening up as he walked towards it and closing down behind him. Daniel had been to one of, if not his lowest point ever. Everything from now on had to be up. Fear did not figure any longer. All Daniel wanted to do was rescue his friends and save the Universe; he didn’t care what happened to him. His plan of attack was to somehow ascend and then engage Adria in battle as Morgan had, for time immemorial. He had no thought for himself anymore. Jack would survive without him. Vala would miss him as would Sam and Teal’c but they would understand. 

As time passed and Daniel wandered the corridors of Adria’s stronghold, looking for a death that would help him ascend, the rest of SG1 were trying to get their act together. It was Vala who solved the puzzle, fitting the 49 pieces together, 9 by 9, showing the constellations of PRX 168 in their resting positions as the Stargate connected. The resultant opening of a flat slab of wall revealed a pile of treasure, similar to that found in Glastonbury and, thankfully, a source of light. Not knowing what they were looking for, they fell on the stash, frantically sorting through for anything familiar, anything that wasn’t treasure. Vala found some communication devices like the ones she and Daniel and previous to that, Jack and Joe the hairdresser had used to commune long distance. Teal’c found a pair of Kor’mak bracelets which made Vala feel sick and which Jack quickly took possession of (“I’ll use these on Daniel if I have to!” he mumbled). It was Sam who found the ring controller.

Arguments followed. Was this what they were looking for? Would it work? Could they get back? Was there enough light to get them back? What if they got back and it didn’t work? Would they be able to get to continue searching?

Throughout the arguments, Teal’c stood by and listened. When Jack realised he was not contributing, he held up his hand to stop the diatribe from Sam and Vala.  
“What do you think, T?” Jack asked.  
“I think we can find our way safely back fairly quickly; it is not far and I have marked our route with charcoal from our fire.”  
“T, I could kiss you,” stated Jack. “Well, what are waiting for?”  
“General O’Neill, we will need a source of light.” stated Vala.  
“Yeahsureyoubetcha” replied Jack and proceeded to investigate the possibility of removing one of the lighted dishes from the floor but Sam had found a lamp full of oil (they hoped). They all stood back whilst Jack ‘lit the touch paper’ and the lamp flared bright and true.

It took about an hour to return. The lamp was spluttering and beginning to die; their fire was just glowing embers. Vala had started to get cramps in her stomach as her system was shutting down and Sam knew she wasn’t far behind. The two guys had far more body mass to rely on. They were wary about the ring system as no one could remember where the exact spot was. The problem with the rings was, if you weren’t totally within or without them, parts of you got removed and left behind. They huddled by the embers as Sam figured out the working mechanism; Jack made the decision that they would have to try them first, from there and hope that they did not alert Adria’s minions on the surface or wherever the rings went.

The mechanism was simple; Sam had used it before and as the rings zipped up, Jack and Teal’c ran out to mark their spot for transportation. Sam moved to replace Teal’c as the function was completed so that he could go pick up Vala, who was now so weak, she could hardly stand. They quickly ringed up back to back in a defensive position even though they had no weapons apart from large sticks they had procured.

No one was in the ring room but they were all very aware that they may have alerted someone elsewhere. As tempting as it had been to leave Vala in the relative safety of the cavern, she rallied enough to walk out of the ring room with the rest of them. Apart from finding Daniel and removing the threat of Adria, their first priority was sustenance. They found, like Daniel, that the corridors seemed to open before them and close behind them. Leaning heavily on their sticks, both Sam and Vala laboured along, food and water the only things on their minds.

The walk seemed endless. It was so quiet as to be disturbing and Jack was really feeling the strain. When he came across a door, he made a command decision and opened it, thinking they could rest up for a while and he could leave Teal’c, continue on his own. Imagine his surprise when the room was revealed to hold a table and four chairs with a repast fit for a king. Jack could not deny his teammates or himself for that matter and with a warning to eat and drink sparsely and slowly, they all sank to the chairs and began to refuel. Jack was sure this was a trap but his team was decimated by hunger and thirst that they would have been no use to him without some nourishment. 

He was right. As they were finishing their meal, Adria appeared covering the exit.  
“Well, I am impressed with your resourcefulness if nothing else. If only you would serve me, my cause would be so much the stronger.” Vala stood and walked towards her.  
“Why don’t you tell us more about your cause over dinner?” she asked, chattily, “and perhaps you can then TELL US WHAT YOU HAVE DONE WITH DANIEL!!!” She flew at her daughter who just vanished and dematerialised on the other side of the room.

“Your precious Daniel, Mother, is, at this moment, preparing to die so he can ascend and be with me.”  
“No,” Vala cried, “He wouldn’t!”  
“No? Look into my eyes and see him searching for death to be with me.” They all looked at Adria but Vala was the only one to see Daniel, wrapped in what looked like a torn sheet, frantically running through the corridors, opening every door, picking up everything he found and assessing it for a death weapon. She stared, aghast, as he found a knife and, with no hesitation, slit his own throat. Vala collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably, screaming “You evil bitch,” over and over again. Teal’c gathered her to him, the other three unaware of what she had seen. Adria had disappeared and, when Vala had calmed down and told them what she had seen, they sat in stunned silence, punctuated only by Vala’s occasional sobs.

********

Daniel was ascending. He’d done it twice before but never after taking his own life. He wasn’t even sure if it would work but he felt it was his only option. He knew Oma Desala was there with him; he sensed Shifu, Skaara and Kasuf, step family members who Oma had ascended when Anubis had destroyed Abydos, the planet where he had met his beloved Sha’re. He hadn’t wanted to die but was strong enough to take the risk and now he knew that he must hunt down Adria in the twilight world of the ascended and engage her in battle for eternity. He sensed the others willingness to help but thought he should do this alone. He suddenly found himself in the diner he had visited before, a place that seems to be some kind of strange ascended symbol for joining the exalted Ancients. However, this time, he was surrounded by ascended friends including those he’d sensed and others from Abydos who had doted on the young Danyel who had changed their lives. They all wanted to help. They all also wanted Daniel to descend, even Oma.

“Your life is still not over, Daniel Jackson. You have much to do. Your friends need you and we must now be prepared to act. I believe there are enough of us to engage Adria. You have shown us just how strong the fifth race can be and how remiss we Ancients are in not interfering when the whole universe is at stake.”

Daniel was as overawed as an ascended being can be. He never really understood that he commanded such respect and friendship. He was used to being a loner and looking after himself. He still found it difficult to believe that his friends cared for him, not just SG1 but many others at Stargate Command. He was struggling with his life meaning so much to other people after spending so many years as an orphan, pushed from pillar to post. He’d always wanted to make a difference, to belong but once it was actually happening, Daniel found it very difficult to accept that he really was part of a loving, caring family with a lover, a big brother and a sister. Now, he was finding it even more difficult. He’d never wanted to leave that family, he didn’t want to be ascended; he had been so frustrated the first time and unable to resist interfering with ‘mere mortals’ and had been so thrilled, once he regained his memory, to be back where he belonged. But who was going to deal with Adria?

She suddenly appeared, glowing red, this time with the familiar flame light that she had shown back at the time they discovered the Ark of Truth. She was awesome, frightening, beckoning to Daniel, pulling him slowly but exorably towards her. Oma stepped in front of him but was thrown back, over the counter of the pseudo diner. Skaara tried and found himself tangled in one of the booths. It was Shifu who could stand in her way; he walked towards her, fearless, no power, no glowing lights, just a little boy, determined to help his dead mother’s husband and free the universe of this extraordinarily evil young woman.

“Harcesis verses Orici, an interesting combination,” thought Daniel, finding it very difficult not to run and stop Shifu but something in the back of his mind was telling him that this was the path that had been chosen for Shifu and that this was his destiny. Morgan-le-Fay appeared beside Daniel and put her hand on his shoulder, holding him back both physically and mentally.

Adria was glowing. She was fuming. She couldn’t reach Daniel and some young whippersnapper of a boy dressed as a monk was taking her on. She could feel, as she tried to engage more of her powers, that her life force was slipping away. With every flare she made, Shifu just came closer, albeit with very slow progress. He stopped within six feet of her.

“I am Harcesis,” he declared. “When the wind blows, the dust will disperse. When the rain stops, the soil will become barren. When the lightning strikes, the evil shall be gone.” Shifu raised his arms, threw them forward and an almighty crack followed by many bolts of lightning showered Adria who flamed so much, her form disappeared. Shifu covered the remaining six feet far too quickly for Daniel to stop him and, as he howled “No, Shifu,” the child stepped into the flaming aurora and the fire went out. Nothing remained.

Daniel, tears streaming down his cheeks, fell to his knees, sobbing, another of his last links with Sha’re gone. Morgan and Oma stood over him, he looked up, pleading to be left alone and the next thing he knew was he was naked (again!), back in the chamber where Adria had tried to seduce him. He struggled under the covers, curled himself in a ball and cried himself to sleep.

The others found him there, hours later. Vala lay down beside him, Jack taking the far side and the other two made themselves comfortable. They all slept.

Daniel disturbed before the rest of them, although Jack hadn’t done more than doze for the last few hours. Daniel, aware there was someone near, cautiously turned onto his back to a mass of short, raven curls. He reached out to finger a lock of hair and disturbed Vala.  
“Hey,” he whispered as she opened her eyes.  
“Hey yourself,” she returned.  
“What happened?”  
“Adria.” Daniel sighed and turned to Jack who was sadly watching the interaction between his lover and what he had become to think of as a possible rival. He quickly recovered.  
“Morning campers,” said Jack, predictably. Daniel groaned and sat up, realising that he had been so focused on Vala that he hadn’t even thought about the others.  
“Jack!”  
“Daniel?”  
“How did you get her?”  
“Long story. What about you?”  
“Even longer.”  
“Can’t be.”  
“Is too.”  
“Isn’t!”  
“Is”  
“Isn’t!”  
“STOP IT, Sir, Daniel.”  
“Sorry Sam/Carter,” they chorused.

With everyone roused, Jack immediately ordered a scouting party, sending Vala off with Sam and Teal’c knowing it probably wouldn’t be safe to leave her with Daniel right now. The testosterone levels were far too high for his liking, especially when his best friend was involved. He and Daniel had a quick catch up on what had happened, shared a quick hug and a kiss, before heading off in the other direction. Orders were for stealth, try to find weapons and a ship or a quick way to the Stargate and get back to the chamber within the hour.

It was eerie; there was no one about. No sign of servants, slaves or soldiers. The place was deserted. A small arms cache was found by Teal’c and, after rendezvous and a quick discussion, they headed to the way out that Daniel and Jack had found.

It was a long, long way back to the Stargate; they weren’t even sure if they were going the right way as they had been ringed into the building but they did not want to take any chances of being ringed back into the caves. They’d leave that for another day, another SG team (or not, if Daniel had his way; he was fascinated by what the others had found). They were footsore and weary when they finally saw the gate in the distance but there was a last minute scramble for the DHD, all keen to dial home.

“Unscheduled offworld activation.” yelled Harriman as the Stargate started to engage. Ferretti and Mitchell, planning a rescue in the briefing room with SG’s 2 and 3, quickly made their way to the control room.

“It’s SG1!” Yelling even louder, almost bouncing with excitement, Harriman’s finger hovered over the control, waiting for Ferretti or Mitchell to give the order to open the iris. They waited until the gateroom was full of ordnance, then sent the OK signal as the iris unfolded.

General O’Neill stepped through first with Daniel and Vala, then Sam and Teal’c.  
“Welcome home SG1.” O’Neill’s eyes glistened and there was a catch in his throat. He smiled.  
“Good to be back, Ferretti, Mitchell!” Carolyn Lam pushed forward asking about health and injuries, demanding they all report to the infirmary forthwith.

Greetings over, Harriman asked Jack if he should lock out the planet’s code. Jack smiled.  
“I think you had better ask our archaeologist first,” he stated. “Daniel?”

Daniel smiled back.  
“I’m pretty sure it’s safe Jack and there is the possibility of an Ancient’s store of treasure I would like to look at. After all, that maybe the treasure referred to by the Clava Thessara Infinitas. I think we have defeated Adria once and for all but I haven’t finished my research; how about next Wednesday?”


End file.
